Home, Not Home, Home
by writtenbyabdex
Summary: Can city-girl, Bella Swan, and cowboy, Edward Cullen, ever met in the middle and agree on anything related to Dwyer Lake Ranch? Or will it blow up in their faces, before it even has a chance to grow? What will it take for these two individuals to make dreams come true? Entry for THOCC. AH
1. Summary

_Pen name: Writtenbyabdex_

_Rating: T_

_Pairings: Bella and Edward (Cannon)_

_Music prompt: Sugarland, Want to_

_Picture Prompt: 24_

_Summery: Can city-girl, Bella Swan, and cowboy, Edward Cullen, ever met in the middle and agree on anything related to Dwyer Lake Ranch? Or will it blow up in their faces, before it even has a chance to grow? What will it take for these two individuals to make dreams come true?_

**_This will be the extended version of my submission for "The Heart of Country Contest". Please follow or fav this story so that once I start posting (I haven't figured that out yet, but wanted to give the contest organizers a link so that they could post it for those interested in the continuation of the story) you'll be ahead of the game._**

**_I still haven't figured out if it will be drabble style or chapter style... Hopefully, I will know soon !_**

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**_OTHER ENTRIES FOR THE HEART OF COUNTRY CONTEST_**

**_I am also checking on the other entries to see if they have continued their stories as well: or expanded them. This is what I have so far!_**

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**Hard to love** by Kathat has posted their story on their profile. **Possible WIP /s/9083169/1/Hard-to-Love**

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_**Down Home** by _MrsSpaceCowboy_, has_ expanded.** WIP_ /s/9070588/1/Down-Home_**

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**Stars** by TroubleFollows1017 posted their story to their profile. **Complete**

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**Just One Night** by TwilightObsessed09

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**Savannah's Sunrise** by JiffSimpson posted their story to Jiffy Kate's profile. **Complete /s/9071769/1/Savannah-s-Sunrise**

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**Take a Little Ride with Me** by MDiva22 posted their story to their profile. **Complete /s/9071437/1/Take-a-Little-Ride-With-You**

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**Little Town, Texas** by Jiffy Kate posted their story to their profile. **Complete /s/9071777/1/Little-Town-Texas**

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**Ropin a Sitter** by WeeKittyandTat has posted their story to their profile.** Eventual WIP /s/9095979/1/Ropin-A-Sitter**

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**Cowboy Cassanova** by TeamSwitzerlandMom has posted their story to their profile. **Possible WIP /s/9090219/1/Cowboy-Casanova**

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**Goodbye in Her Eyes** by Shahula posted their story to their profile.** Complete /s/9081334/1/Goodbye-in-Her-Eyes**

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The** Sound of Steel Guitars on a Fallen Soul** by Staceleo has posted their story to their profile. **WIP /s/9070951/1/The-Sound-of-Steel-Guitars-on-a-Fallen-Soul**

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**Smokey Bars and Pretty Girls** by Laurie Whitlock posted their story to their profile. **Complete but possible outtakes.**

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**Mud On the Tires** by kathat posted her story on her profile. **Possible WIP. /s/9071308/1/Mud-on-the-Tires**

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**Unbridled** by BornOnHolloween posted their story to their profile.** Complete**

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**Tethered** by Jonesn35402 has posted their story to their profile. ** WIP /s/9070514/1/Tethered**

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**If you have more information about these stories and their writers, please send me a pm.**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N Happy Friday! Well, I finally made a decision on how to post this story. Instead of following a ridged posting schedule, or posting it section by section (drabble style) I decided that I will post a chapter every time I receive one back from PTB. Hope that works for all of you!**

**And a special note to Storypainter with out whom this story would never exist. She was the original beta for The Heart of Country Contest and helped me choose the words to submit... bad grammer and all. She's been behind me (pushing me) since the first chapter she Beta'd almost 3 years ago... I love you girl...you're the rock to my jabraulter.**

**This chapter was Beta'd by AnthroBug and Michelle. And because I may or may not have used every suggestion, any errors left, are on me. They did a wonderful job working the magic only they can work. My hat is off to them and here is the polished version of Home, Not Home, Home, Chapter 1. **

**If you want to see my self-made Banner, I hope this link works ~~~ sorry link isn't working. facebook... look me up it's a public pic.****  
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**HOME, NOT HOME, HOME**

**Chapter 1**

"_Ms. Swan, as Mr. Dwyer's only surviving relative, you have inherited his family's property in Colorado, also known as, Dwyer Lake Ranch. There are three conditions to the inheritance. One, you must take up residence on the property within the next thirty days. Two, you must re-establish the property as a working ranch in some manner. And three, you cannot attempt to sell the property for two years, at which time you will be given more information in regards to your inheritance."_

That was the meeting that started the heart break Bella Swan was now suffering. That was the meeting that had widened the rift between herself and her mother. Her father Sam had seemed to be one of the few that had pushed her to try, even though it had caused a strain in her parents' relationship that he had refused to discuss. Her fiancè had planted the worst seeds of doubt, and left her with accusing words that she had never wanted them to succeed, and that she was in over her head. Her friend Rosalie had encouraged her go but refused to say goodbye, simply sending her a text wishing her good luck. But Bella knew it was hard for Rosie to deal with strong emotions and abandonment.

The first six months, Bella felt as if she had come home. She made a few good friends and had worked hard at coming up with a plan. She was well into bringing that plan to fruition. It was going to take everything she could bring to the table, physically, mentally, and financially.

Edward, one of Phil's indentured hands, had made it perfectly clear that she didn't belong. She was smart and head strong, but she wasn't a _country_ girl. The last sixteen months of her life had proven that beyond a shadow of a doubt. But she would go, taking less than she had arrived with. She didn't even remember why she had tried.

So what if she had only spent her summers at the ranch as a young girl. The only thing she remembered or cared about was the foal she and Phil had birthed the summer before she turned fourteen.

"_Uncle Phil, something's wrong with Mazy!" a young girl sporting pigtails wailed as she rushed into the house. "She's laying down and won't get up. Uncle Phil!" she screamed, panicked. _

_A young Bella Swan knew that Mazy was due to foal any day, and she had tried to keep a closer eye on the mare as she had been instructed by her uncle. She had even snuck out in the middle of the night to check on the pregnant beast after waking-up with nightmares._

"_Bella, I need you to get me some supplies from the house," her Uncle Phil asked her. He was trying to get the young girl away from Mazy's stall long enough to birth the new foal. He wasn't sure she was ready to see what was to come, because she only spent a month at the ranch during the summers. Bella was raised in the city. She wasn't surrounded by animals in her everyday life, and he didn't want her going home to Renee traumatized from the experience. Uncle Phil hadn't realized how fast the young girl was and didn't notice her as she stood silently behind the stall door._

"_Oh, Mazy. I know you're tired, but it's time," he whispered to the horse as he rubbed her muzzle. He stoked the girth of her belly feeling the foal struggle beneath his touch. Mazy snorted and neighed as Phil reached for a hoof of the breech colt and started to pull. He had to move quickly if both the colt and mother were to survive._

_It took most of Phil's strength to free the colt and bring him into the world, and Bella Swan had seen the whole thing. At first she had been horror struck with the sight, but by the time Uncle Phil was rubbing the colt's patch-colored coat with fresh straw, she was amazed. She had never witnessed anything like it before, or since._

_Phil looked up from the ground and saw the young girl's tear-stained face when the pail of water she had carried slipped from her hand, startling him and bring her back to the moment. Bella quickly moved through the gate, kneeling next to Phil and started rubbing the newborn colt with straw, just like she had watched her uncle do._

"_Can I name him Charlie, Uncle Phil?" the girl asked when the colt's fur was dry._

_Phil wanted to cry at that moment. He would never have believed his little girl would have reacted like that, like she was born to be here. As one piece of his heart fell into place, another piece broke away. He was never allowed to tell her that he was her father and not that jackass, Sam, Renee had married instead._

_The old mare, Mazy, had given everything to bring the tiny colt into the world, including her life, and that summer was the last time Bella Swan had been allowed to visit. But in that summer, Bella's life had already been changed. _

_Birth, Life, and Death meant something different than her mother had taught her for so long._

Through the side mirror of her car, Bella watched as the main house of the ranch slowly shrank and faded into nothing behind the low cloud of dust. Part of her hoped that he would notice her leaving and come running after her, but just as she had figured, he didn't.

She steered the car to the right, catching the black line of asphalt headed toward town. It was the quickest route to get away from him and disappear. As she approached the final lengths of fencing separating her from her life at the ranch and her voyage ahead, Bella was surprised to see her horse, Charlie, waiting for her.

He was bouncing wildly up and down, rearing back on his hind legs and shaking his mane, as if begging her to stop, but she didn't. She couldn't stop. She didn't know if she would still have the strength to leave if she did. The pain in her chest increased as she watched the stallion's display of aggression. She had to look away. Fleetingly, she wondered if all the commotion Charlie was raising alerted Edward to the fact that she had left without saying goodbye.

"_Get out of that stall, woman. Are you crazy?" Edward yelled at her. She and Edward hadn't yet gotten past their initial meeting. It seemed like everything she did was wrong in his eyes-not that she cared. In his eyes she was just some city girl her uncle had taken pity on during the last days of his life._

"_What?" she asked, confused about what she had done wrong this time, again, not that she cared. He was so frustrating._

"_That crazy ass horse doesn't let anyone get close to him. He never has and never will. Why Phil just didn't put a bullet in his head the day he was born is beyond me." _

_What Edward had failed to realize at the time was Charlie had been calm before he had shown up, but now that Edward was yelling at her, yet again, Charlie had started flipping his ears. Then he bared his teeth, biting at the air, and rearing up on his hind legs._

_As Bella looked between the man standing on the outside of the fence and the horse next to her that had gone from calm to fight mode, she couldn't put the pieces together. There was no crazy horse; it was just Charlie._

_Her eyes grew wide as fear gripped her, rooting her where she stood, as she watched Charlie rear up next to her. Instead of running like someone with common sense would have, she raised her arms to protect her head, preparing for the impact she was sure to come. But when the impact came it wasn't the forceful blows upon her head as she had anticipated. _

_Everything happened in a blur. First was a collision from the side and then impact with the hard ground stealing her breath away. She could hear Charlie's neighs, his screams of distress, and the pounding of his hooves as he beat the ground, stirring up dust. Then there was the pulling on her body as she was bounced and slammed against the hard ground and Edward's body as he rolled them to safety, out of the stall, and away from Charlie._

_Bella looked into the hardened green depths of Edward's eyes as he stared back into hers. His face may have been impossible to read, but the anger he spoke with wasn't. He was angry at her, again._

"_Don't move. I think you hit your head."_

_Bella swallowed hard, trying to determine whether or not she had actually hit her head, when a small drop of blood dripped from Edward's hair and landed on her forehead._

"_I'm not the one that's hurt, Edward," she spoke in fear. "You're bleeding."_

_Instantly, the weight that had pinned her to the ground was gone, as Edward jumped and stood._

"_I'm fine!" Edward yelled as he walked away, cursing and rambling under his breath. "Crazy fucking horse..."_

So many times, Bella had wanted to ask him if he wanted this life-working on a ranch or something more. She had wanted to know his hopes and dreams, his secrets and heartbreak. Everyone had a story, Edward included, but he just wouldn't share. Maybe it was her, maybe she had been naive to think that sometime during their time together things had changed.

For one minute, she had let her guard down and let him in. Now she was leaving, hurt and heartbroken. If she had never met Edward Cullen, she would have been better off. But she had, and now at least she understood what it felt like to love someone and not have them love you back. She had never truly been in love with Tyler, and she knew that now.

Bella stopped the car as she crested the last hill before the interstate. She had to. She couldn't see past the tears. She had to admit that the tears were from sadness, not anger. She had tried every way she could think of, but nothing worked. In fact, things only seemed to get worse between her and Edward.

_Bella walked out of the house with a picnic basket in her hands. Edward hadn't spoken to her since he'd tried to protect her from Charlie. She was trying, but he wasn't making it easy. Edward worked hard, and Bella knew that, so she made some iced tea and sandwiches as a peace offering. _

_Renee had always said, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."Not that she wanted his heart, but she didn't want to fight all the time either._

_She approached the barn cautiously, nervous how Edward would react to the meal, though it wasn't much._

"_Edward...Edward, are you up there?" she called out. Edward hadn't spoken directly to her, but mentioned in passing, that the fresh bales of hay needed to be stored before the rain came or they would be ruined._

"_Edward, I brought you some lunch," she announced. She could hear him moving around in the rafters above, so she waited for a reply. But after several minutes of not receiving one, she decided that she'd leave the meal on the barrel next to where the tack for the horses was stored._

"_Well, I guess I'll just leave it here, next to the tack...and saddles. Whenever you're ready, it'll be here," she said, hesitatingly. She really wished he would acknowledge her presence. He was here for the two years, whether she liked it or not._

_Hearing some scuffling and Edward's voice, she looked up hopefully._

"_Shit...Bella, watch out," he yelled out angrily, falling to the loft floor as the rope slide from his hand. He watched helplessly as the bale of hay fell toward the floor. There was nothing he could do except let it fall and pray she was out of the way when it hit._

_At Edward's words, Bella quickly moved back safely into the tack room, watching the brick of hay fall to the ground, landing and bouncing before it settled. She heard Edward groan in what sounded like pain._

"_Edward, are you okay?" she called out, moving quickly toward the ladder. Edward stood at the edge of the loft just as Bella reached the ladder prepared to climb to his aid._

"_Get out!" he yelled at her. He was always pushing her away. It hurt her, knowing he was never going to give her a chance, and her fear turned to anger._

"_You did that on purpose, didn't you?" she yelled back at him, looking where he stood. He pulled on his hair in frustration._

"_Ugh..." he ground out. The woman below was going to drive him to an early grave. She wouldn't stay away, and she was nothing but a distraction._

_Tears welled in her eyes. Angry tears._

"_Fuck you, Edward Cullen. You're nothing more than an overgrown bully," she retorted and instantly fled the building. Edward Cullen would never see her cry-and her mom was wrong._

_As she ran from the building in a blinding rage, movement caught her attention. Tied to the fence post was Edward's horse Aro. Bella ran up to him, released the reins, and pulled the white dappled mustang away from where he was tethered. _

_The only thought running through Bella's head was that she had to get away. She had to find some place to think, and she couldn't do it there with Edward around._

_She wasn't the best rider, but she could get herself into a saddle, and once she was there, she and Aro tore off across the open pasture toward the mountains._

_Back at the barn, Edward was trying his best to calm down. He didn't understand why he always seemed to be yelling at Bella. She wasn't a bad person. She just wasn't a country girl, and it wasn't that she didn't try, because she did. Even he had to admit that. She just seemed to get in his way much more than necessary. _

_It wasn't her fault Charlie had managed to get the best of him again. In fact, if he was willing to admit it, the whole situation could have been avoided if he hadn't reacted in anger. If he had just held his tongue, instead of yelling, he would have noticed that Charlie was standing calmly next to her. The horse had even nudged her playfully, trying to get her attention, but Edward had recognized that later, after it was too late._

_When Edward had calmed down and finished storing the bales of hay, he climbed down the ladder ready to splash water from the trough onto his heated skin. It wasn't that moving hay was hard work. It was tedious, and the hay stuck to his sweaty skin._

_Pulling the leather gloves from his hands, Edward walked to the tack shop. He noticed the basket sitting on the barrel where Bella had left it. It was mid-afternoon, and he had to admit that he was hungry._

_Edward retrieved a sandwich from the basket and took a bite as he sat on the bench. He looked over at the stall Charlie was housed in, noticing how restless the beast appeared as Edward chewed his second and third mouthful._

"_I guess I should go and apologize, shouldn't I?" he asked Charlie. Charlie stilled, looked at Edward, and pinned his ears back before shaking his head and moving away. Edward shrugged his shoulders..."Crazy fucking animal." and continued to eat his sandwich. _

"_Phil should have put you out of your misery before he died," Edward told Charlie as he started his second sandwich. Charlie just kept looking at him as if irritated or frustrated. Edward shook his head at the horse and stood. He needed to apologize, and right then was as good a time as any. At least he wouldn't have to deal with her horse trying to get his attention anymore._

"_Bella, I'm sorry," Edward said as he knocked on the door for the third time. He was getting frustrated and felt like some pussy-whipped teenager begging a girl for a second chance._

"_Fine, be like that. Doesn't matter to me anyhow. I'm heading out to the south pasture to mend fences," he announced before storming back the way he had come._

_The overall situation with Bella wasn't working. Edward had never been so frustrated._

"_Phil, if I had not given you my word, I don't care who she is, I would be gone. But I owe you, not her, but after our deal is complete, I'm out of here. I promised you two years, and you're not getting one more day than that."_

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**Read, Review, and Retweet (pimp me out, I'M CHEAP, TRUST ME) LOL. I look forward to reading your comments.**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N Hi everyone! Welcome Back! I want to thank everyone who has reviewed this story. You may or may not know it, but they can truly turn a bad day into something wonderful. It's a great pay it forward thing. I think I have replied to each person individually. At least I hope I have! **

**Now, I know that some of you are wondering why I keep using character names over and over. I don't know! I just know that when I try to change them, it just hurts and I can't do it every time. Just humor me please...Thanks... lol. (I did change it a few times, but not ever every time).**

**This chapter was Beta'd by insange and Marly from Project Team Beta, and they are in no way responsible for any and all errors that still may exsist. They did a wonderful job! Especially with what they had to start with... *snickers*. (and Marly. I didn't notice the change in settings while you were editing because I look at the color of the comments, hehe, until I read your note).**

**I am also defending my word choice using numb. Yes, the beta's suggested I change it to dumb, but I just couldn't do it. Dumb will always be dumb, but numb is unfeeling, stupid, and dumb all rolled into one. I ask my kids "Why are so numb?" all the time. That word is me in this chapter.**

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HNHH Chapter II

_***Broken***_

It wasn't the same hill where Edward had found her, or sunrise, but it was still a beautiful dawn as bittersweet as her memory of that night was. Instinctively, Bella rubbed her arm where she had broken it six months prior, noticing the change in the texture of her hands after working the ranch. It had been a clean break and healed just as the doctor had said it would. But the doctor told her she would always feel a twinge of pain now and again. The doctor didn't understand that the pain would be heartbreak.

_Edward stormed away from the house. If Bella continued to ignore him, he was going to ignore her. He was the master of ignoring things, and people. As he moved toward the bunk house, he glanced over to where he had tethered Aro, thinking how he should have removed the horse's saddle earlier. He hadn't planned on taking so long storing hay. He should have been working on the fence line hours ago._

_Brought up short, Edward realized Aro wasn't there. _

"_What in the world?" Edward knew he had tied a good knot: he'd learned that lesson a long time ago. Flashes of Phil laughing at him as he chased a much younger Aro across the property his first summer at the ranch made him smile._

_Distracted with the memories of Phil, Edward approached the spot he had left his horse. _He_ looked around; Aro had to be close by. It wasn't until he noticed the odd-shaped footprints that he began to think something was amiss. The footprints resembled the treads on a tennis shoe. Edward didn't wear tennis shoes while on horseback or while he worked the ranch. He only wore boots. _

_Bella, on the other hand..._

_His thoughts were cut short as Charlie reared up and screamed a warming, creating a scene. Edward looked between the house and Charlie as his blood ran cold. _

"_She wouldn't...Fuck, she would!" Edward said to no one in particular as he dashed for the house. This time, he didn't knock before throwing the door open._

"_Bella?" But Edward's search came up just as empty as the quiet answered his question._

"_Stupid, stupid woman! Wait 'till I get my hands on her! What the hell was she thinking?" Edward ran faster toward the stables as their heated conversation replayed his angry words._

_Charlie reared and neighed as Edward entered the barn, grabbing a blanket and bridle from the tack room. He hated riding Whiskey, but Whiskey was surefooted and used to the land that encompassed the ranch._

_Charlie continued his aggressive behavior, spooking the horse and making it impossible for Edward to coax the gray from his stall. Edward yelled and cursed as his anger and frustration level overflowed._

"_I don't know which one of you is crazier, you fucking glue factory. If Bella gets hurt out there before I find her, I'm putting the bullet in you myself-"_

_Edward had more threats running through his head, but he couldn't force them pass his lips. He could only stare at Charlie, who was now quiet, his head hung low. His head was twisted to the side just enough that Edward was sure the horse was looking at him, and when Edward looked at Charlie's ears, they were pointed in his direction. Interested or listening, Edward wasn't sure._

_No one had been able to saddle, let alone ride, Charlie in the last four years. Phil was the only one besides Bella who could even get close to him. And yet, here Charlie was acting as if he was willing to help._

"_This better not be a joke," Edward whispered, slowly approaching Charlie with a blanket and bridle. Charlie raised and lowered his head, watching closely, as Edward approached. Edward dropped the blanket to the ground while handling the bridle. He couldn't remember the last time Charlie had accepted a bridle. Was it four years ago? Or five? Where was Phil when you needed him? _Nevermind_._

"_Okay, Charlie, here we go," Edward said calmly, letting out the breath he was holding. Edward raised the bridle, opening the straps and buckles wide. From his body language, Edward could tell Charlie was nervous. _

"_Deep breath. You can do this," he encouraged himself and the horse. Edward didn't move or attempt to force the bridle into place but waited for Charlie to make the next move. And He did, after sighing loudly. After the bridle was in place, Edward slowly placed the striped wool blanket across Charlie's back, pulling it forward over his withers._

_It wasn't until Edward tried to place a saddle on Charlie that there was trouble. Charlie didn't bolt in fear, though the edges of white around his eyes told Edward otherwise. Charlie simply moved away or sidestepped, eyeing Edward the whole time. The horse was trusting Edward but not the saddle._

"_You're damn lucky I know how to ride bareback, but I swear... if you throw me, bite me, or anything else... it's not too late to shoot you."_

_Charlie hoofed the ground, as if agreeing with the set terms._

_Edward dropped the saddle and stroked the horse's neck, or crest, as he prepared himself to mount a very nervous Charlie. Edward felt the same. Sure, he had worked and trained with Charlie as a yearling (and even when he was a colt), but Phil was the only one, up to this point who had ever mounted and then actually rode him short distances._

_Both the rider and creature's nerves settled as Charlie moved one leg forward, then another and another until they were out of the barn. Edward looked at the sky judging the weather and time of day, a habit that he had formed eight years ago. The sun was dropping below the tops of trees, letting him know they only had a few hours of daylight left. Three at the most._

_Edward wasn't sure how many miles Aro and Bella had traveled or where to continue looking as darkness surrounded him. He had to relax and trust that Charlie knew where he was going. Being out here in the woods when it was this dark was just plain stupid. And when they finally did find Bella, he was going to make sure she knew how stupid she had been and what it was exactly she had risked with her stupidity._

_When Charlie froze mid-gait, Edward noticed his ears pricked around but relaxed when he blew out and nickered. He hoped they were close to finding Bella. It was late, and both he and Charlie were exhausted._

_It was a cracking of branches or leaves that brought Charlie to a halt again just before Edward saw something white. It could have been the moonlight reflecting off a rock or maybe some water; he couldn't tell for sure. Edward was forced to dismount when Charlie refused to move further._

_Stumbling forward, Edward made his way closer to whatever it was._

"_Aro," he whispered in relief, walking closer. Aro was nervous, but Edward didn't know that. So, when Edward cleared a nearby tree, Aro took flight, leaving Edward afoot._

"_Ugh, crazy fucking horses," Edward growled as Charlie rushed past and followed after Aro. _

_Now, Edward was stranded, making it impossible to find Bella. That woman was going to be the death of him. Indentured himself to Phil, just so he could go to school, was the stupidest thing he could have done. Did Phil's death null and void their arrangement? He wished it did, but it didn't._

_But if Aro was there, that meant only one thing. Bella couldn't be that far away...he hoped._

"_Bella!" Edward called out over and over as he moved. He hadn't been this far from the ranch house in years. "Bella!" _

_Edward listened closely to the world around him as he paused to listen. He was hoping for a clue in what direction to move when he heard a noise. When he recognized the sound of sobbing and the direction it was coming from, he took off running. _

"_Bella!" Edward hollered as he broke through the scrub of trees into a clearing at the top of the hill. _

_***Lost and Found***_

Bella's mind drifted back to the nightmare that could have been the beginning of something powerful between them. Even though Edward was angry, he'd taken care of her, ensuring her safety first. For one brief moment, a year in the making, Edward was approachable. He even acted as if he had truly cared about her, and Bella's heart pumped at a different beat. But it was all a lie, a set-up.

_It was well after dark when she realized she was lost. She didn't know what direction to head to get back home, and Aro was being difficult. She tried to spur him on in one direction, and he kept trying to go back the way they had just traveled._

_Bella was too exhausted to pay attention and started to drift in and out of consciousness. Coyotes howled in the distance, bringing Bella out of the fog she had drifted into. The howling continued, startling Aro and caused him to jump in retreat, throwing a confused Bella from the saddle. When she hit the ground, her arm broke just above the wrist._

_When Bella screamed out in pain, Aro bolted in fear, leaving his rider behind._

_Bella rolled around on the ground, screaming. She only wanted Edward's horse to come back—not run away._

_After she screamed herself out, Bella felt the desire to just give up. She shivered and shook as the temperature dropped._

"_You really thought this one through, didn't you, Bella?" she muttered. "Now what?" If there was one redeeming quality about Bella, it was her ability to look ahead, create a plan, and then follow through with it._

"_It's dark. You're alone. You're hurt, and nobody knows where the fuck you are," Bella whispered to herself. Looking around, she noticed the moonlight streaking through the trees. _

"_I need to find a spot where someone will find me—a clearing or... or something," she continued. Pulling herself together, she managed to find the perfect spot with the aid of the moon. Her feet hurt when she sat in the open field._

_It was colder there and her body trembled painfully. She rubbed her arm, fighting the pain radiating from it. She needed warmth but had no clue what to do, so she sobbed. _

_The night was filled with strange noises, but Bella could hear everything. And everything heightened her fear. Trying to calm herself, she held her arm across her middle and rocked back and forth. _

_Her eyes widened fearfully as an owl taunted her from behind. She prayed the howling from the coyote would stay away. She prayed someone would realize she was missing. She even cursed the day her Uncle had lured her to Colorado. And then she cursed herself for being angry with Edward._

"_Morning will be here soon enough... you can figure out what to do then," Bella chanted over and over. "Everything is going to be fine," she ordered as she sobbed._

_When Bella heard her name being called, her body twisted and she took in a shadowed form moving toward her._

"_Edward," she called out in relief as his silhouette broke through the trees. Then she started sobbing again. The pain in her arm increased as she tried to move._

"_Are you okay?" Edward asked, kneeling next to her._

"_I think it's broken," Bella cried out in reply, shaking her head. She didn't care how Edward had found her, only that he had._

_Edward dropped the pack he'd grabbed when he'd realized what Bella had done. Phil had taught him that on his first day. "_Always be prepared because you just never know. It's not like we live in the city, son._" Using the knife sheathed at his hip, Edward cut apart a pillowcase he'd kept in his pack. "A pillowcase can serve more than one purpose," he heard Phil say before shaking the old man's voice from his head._

_Edward inhaled deeply as he used his roughened fingers and hands to inspect the tender flesh of Bella's arm, feeling an electrical pulse. Bella was right. Her arm was broken, but Edward didn't tell her that. Instead, he used the strips of cloth to create a sling and then fastened her arm to her body so she couldn't jar it._

"_You're freezing, and it's still a few hours until morning. We'll stay here until it's light and then figure out what to do," Edward said, leaving no room for discussion. He removed his jacket and wrapped it tightly around his broken girl and forced her to lie down. Then he covered them with a silver emergency blanket to help keep them warm._

"_Try to get some rest," he said, pulling her closer to him, letting her use one of his arm as a pillow and using the other to protect her form. He hoped she'd listen to him for a change, because one of them needed to get some sleep._

"_Won't you be cold?" Bella asked, tugging at his jacket._

"_I never get cold," he lied._

_They both laid there, wide awake. Edward breathed in her strawberry-scented hair, while Bella felt the heat radiate off him, slowly warming her entire being._

_They remained still, watching the sunrise as it brought new light to their darkened world._

_Their quiet bubble was broken with the sounds of cracking twigs and leaves._

"_Bella," Edward whispered._

"_I hear it," she whispered back._

"_Stay here while I check it out." Edward released her from the hold he'd maintained throughout the night as they laid together. Instantly, he was cold and felt there was something missing; disconcerting emotions washed over him. Maybe he was feeling, protective?_

_As Bella's fears began to surface, Edward's return kept her from drowning. His return was truly a sight to behold._

_With a set of reins in each hand, Edward led Aro and Charlie toward her. _

_Her knight in worn-out blue jeans and a white Stetson hat._

_***On The Run***_

Bella put the car into gear, pushing the gas. She didn't even stop at the coffee shop to say goodbye to her friend Alice when she stopped in Georgetown for fuel before continuing.

Unfortunately, that didn't mean her presence went unnoticed.

"Hey, Bella! What brings you into town?" Emmett asked as he approached. He had just filled his police cruiser up and was headed to work. He hadn't expected to see her until the following week, when she journeyed to town to collect the first real guests for the ranch. "New unexpected vacationers?"

"Bella?" Emmett asked, concerned, when her shoulders slumped. After placing a hand on her shoulder, Emmett's eyes were wide in disbelief as the two came face-to-face.

"I'm sorry, Emmett," Bella began. Emmett pulled Bella into a bear hug to comfort her. But before he could even attempt to get more details from his distraught friend, she broke their embrace and pulled away.

"I can't...I'm going back to New York. Make sure Alice still helps out at the ranch. Edward's going to need it."

"But...Why?" Emmett asked, confused and in disbelief. Bella had worked so hard, for too long...

"I don't belong here! I never did!" she yelled, climbing into her car and escaping more interrogation.

Emmett was too stunned at react at first. _What the hell happened? Edward!_ And then he was angry. If anyone belonged here, it was Bella Swan-Dwyer. Then realization came, with sadness. She didn't know—and he was bound by the law not to tell. He stood rooted in place, watching as her car disappeared from sight.

A full day passed, then a week, which turned into a month—and Edward was still unable to reach Bella. He'd called and called, but each time he got her voicemail answered. Edward was beyond livid. Sometimes with Bella, but mostly himself. He couldn't figure out what he had said that set her off this time. She was so unpredictable.

"_What the fuck, Edward! What did you do to Bella _this_ time?" Emmett screamed. He didn't even allow Edward the courtesy of a hello as he approached the bunk house._

"_Fuck you, Emmett," Edward joked back, not realizing that Emmett was serious. "Who pissed in your Wheaties this morning?" Edward continued, oblivious._

"_They were tears, not piss! And for your information...Those tears were Bella's,"_

_When Emmett mentioned Bella and tears, Edward sobered up._

"_What are you talking about?" Edward asked. "Bella's still asleep in the house!"_

"_Are you sure?" Emmett asked. There was no way Edward could be that numb. "Where's her car, you dipshit? She's not asleep. She went back to New York! And from the look on her face this morning, she isn't coming back. What the fuck did you do?"_

"_I didn't do anything!" Edward snapped._

"_Well then..I guess that explains everything! Doesn't it?" Emmett finished off, before leaving Edward to his own devices. He didn't have it in him to deal with Edward and his stupidity any longer._

_Edward dropped the letter back on the table and pulled his hair. What was he going to do? Everything... everything Bella had worked for over the last eighteen months was going to go up in flames. The next day marked a milestone. Twenty executives were arriving for a leadership retreat. It was going to be a full house. Edward had no clue what he was going to do. _

_He knew Bella had been quiet for a few days. He figured she was contemplating the party that was showing up tomorrow, not leaving._

_It wasn't until he talked to Alice that he'd remembered his passing remarks as he watched Bella train with Charlie. Edward had decided to give into Bella and teach her the things that Phil had taught him. Bella didn't know it, but Edward wasn't a cowboy when he'd first come to the ranch, even though he had grown up locally. _

"_Just some kid, my ass. And to think you thought he was your uncle."Edward mumbled under his breath. He had his arms folded, resting over the top rung of the training corral, his chin nestled on the padding of his arms. His foot was kicked up on the bottom rung of the fence as he imagined talking to Phil, while watching Bella build her relationship with Charlie inside the ring._

_Edward hadn't realized that Bella had heard him. He'd finally put the pieces together himself. Watching her train Charlie was like watching Phil all over again—only shorter... and definitely female. Bella Swan wasn't just some kid, but _his _kid-Isabella Swan-Dwyer. Edward couldn't believe it had taken him so long to figure it out. Now he understood why Phil seemed sad Bella had decided to stay in New York every summer, instead of visiting him and the ranch._

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**_Please feel free to pimp me out. I'm cheap-not easy! lol. Read, Review, and Reshare! Gotta run and edit the next chapter of Focal Point and another chapter for HNHH..._**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N This chapter was Beta'd by sniperocker123 and Michelle from Project Team Beta. They did an amazing job of helping me put everything in order. One beta suggested that I cut this chapter into two parts, which I considered for quite a time and would have if I could have figured out where to divide it... I couldn't. This was one of the reasons I had considered posting it as a drabble fic. Sorry... *bounces head of table* I just can't decide... uhg.**

**Anyway everyone, I hope you enjoy it. I'm trying to get the next chapter off. Wish me luck because real life keeps interfearing...I hope to hear your thoughts and comments... I really do look forward to them**.

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**Home, Not Home, Home**

**Chapter 3**

**Left Behind**

Edward remained behind, instead of chasing after her immediately like he had wanted to. He couldn't let her dreams go up in flames. He didn't know when it had happened, but it had. Her dreams had become his. And it was going to take everything he had, and then some, to bring their dreams to fruition.

After that happened, he'd make his move. He would go to New York and bring her back—kicking and screaming if necessary. But a month was a long time to wait.

"_You're nuts! You know that, don't you?" Edward said, frustrated. _

"_It will work! I know it will!" Bella replied, defensively. "I've done the research, the math. I even got the bank to back my business plan. This will work!"_

"_Your plan is so going to fail. This is a Colorado working dude ranch, not some high and mighty pampered guest hotel."_

"_You watch, listen, and learn, bucko." Bella was too angry to continue. Who was Edward Cullen to tell her what would and wouldn't work ? Nobody._

"_Fine by me! I'll watch you fail and listen to you cry. Then, I'll finally watch you learn that you do not belong here. When it's all said and done, you'll run back to wherever it was that you came from with your tail ticked between your legs. Then we'll see who's laughing. And when my two years is up, I'm out of here, because there will be nothing left of the ranch, or Phil, because the bank will own everything."_

**The Wheels on the Bus**

With Alice's and Emmett's help, Edward worked from sun up to sun down. He put on his most charming smile every morning and took it off every night. Even the small community pulled together and helped.

Esme Johnson, the local school bus driver, offered her services. Every Friday that month, she waited in town for the weary travelers to arrive and escorted them to the ranch. She laughed and giggled as the passengers loaded the aging school bus, shocked and surprised by their reception.

"Welcome to Georgetown," she would greet. Then she would pull the lever, shutting the glass doors after the last passenger rested in their seat. By the time they reached the ranch, Edward was amazed at the smiling faces that stepped off the bus singing.

"The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round...Thank you, Ms. Johnson...Sorry, Esme. See you Monday morning..."

_If only Bella were here to see it_. With that thought, Edward put his mask back in place, adjusted his Stetson, and stepped out of the shadows.

"Welcome to the Dwyer Lake Ranch. I'm sure y'all are tired and hungry. So, if y'all will grab your bags, I'll show you to your quarters where you can freshen up before dinner."

**Follow that Girl**

"Edward, it's been almost six weeks," Alice whined. She missed her friend Bella and wanted her home almost as much as Edward did. "You still haven't found her?"

"Alice, it was a month before I could leave to find Bella, and it took me a week to drive to New York. So, technically its only been one. And no, I haven't found her...yet," Edward grumbled. "Who knew New York was so big?" he injected, trying to move the conversation forward.

"By the way, how are things back at the ranch?" Edward asked. Edward already knew that he couldn't find more capable hands than Jasper's to leave the ranch in if he had tried.

"They're um... good. Jasper's doing a great job for you and Bella," Alice mused. Edward could once again hear the lighthearted girl he'd grown up with and laughed at the not-so-sly tone of her voice. Maybe, once he and Bella returned, she and Jasper would have a chance at a future.

"Thank you, Edward. You have no idea how nice things are, getting to know him again after all this time."

"I'm glad things are working out for you, Jasper, and the ranch. I love you, Alice, but I have a mission to accomplish. I'll be back as soon as I can." Edward waited until Alice said her thank you and good-bye before he hung up.

He still wondered why Alice thanked him when they spoke. Getting Jasper back to the ranch wasn't his idea.

_"Hey, Jasper. How long are you back in town for?" Edward asked his old friend as he took a seat next to him at the diner. It was just another day trip into town from the ranch._

_"That's still to be determined," Jasper said flatly, never taking his eyes off the dark-haired waitress at the other end of the counter._

_"Ah...I see," Edward said, noticing Alice pretending to fill salt shakers. "Anything I can do to help?"_

_"Actually, I think there is. Want some company for the ride back to the ranch?" Jasper asked, finally looking at Edward. _

_Edward glanced across the room at Alice and shrugged. _

_"Sure, why not. Anytime you're ready," he replied, draining his coffee cup and plopping his hat back on his head. Edward was curious as to what Jasper wanted. No better time like the present, he thought to himself._

_Once the tires hit the pavement, Jasper wouldn't shut up. Edward realized just how much Jasper had stuffed and hidden over the last four years. He hated his job, he wanted to make things right with Alice, and he wanted to come home. But he couldn't do that without a plan. _

_The bank was "footing the bill" for his trip to Georgetown until he could locate his client's Power of Attorney, who was now in default of her agreement and could be forfeiting her inheritance as well._

_Suspicion stirred deep in Edward's gut. It couldn't be, could it? Fuck, it had to be._

_"That wouldn't be Isabella Swan, would it?" Edward just needed confirmation. _

_"Um, yeah. How'd you guess?" Jasper asked, perplexed when Edward finally reacted._

_"Fuck, I swear when I get my hands on her... " he said, leaving the obvious threat hanging._

_"Do you know where she is?"_

_"Yes... and no," Edward admitted, defeated._

_"Edward, you don't understand. If she doesn't come back, she'll lose everything. So-"_

_"Oh, she's coming back, all right. As soon as I can find someone to run the ranch for me."_

_Edward hit the brakes and looked at Jasper. Jasper wore the biggest fucking grin this side of the Rocky Mountains. They both knew what needed to be done._

_The next Friday, Edward was almost in New York as the bus pulled up to the house and unloaded the passengers. _

"_Welcome to..."Jasper's voice rang out Edward's standard greeting. He was sporting an old Civil War officer's hat instead of Edward's white Stetson._

_Jasper's parents had named him after his great-great-grandfather, Major Jasper Whitlock. The hat was a family heirloom that had been passed from father to son and eventually him. _

_Major Jasper Whitlock, who looked like his younger heir, had been highly admired by those that served him. He'd been decorated with medals of valor, and the name Whitlock were some big shoe's to fill. That's why Jasper had left the hat with his one true love, Alice, when he'd run off to the city to prove himself worthy. _

_If he'd known the heartbreak he was leaving behind, he may never had left._

**Meeting the Mother**

"Hey, Emmett," Edward greeted before he replied to Emmett's question about whether he'd found Bella yet or not. "No, it's not going so good," Edward spoke in frustration. He was sitting in his truck parked outside of a Wal-Mart somewhere in New York City.

"No, she hasn't contacted her mother, at least that's what her mother said," he started to explain, but how did one explain Renee, the woman that was supposed to love and care for Bella. "Man, Emmett... if that was my momma, I'd get the hell out of Dodge too. That woman is as mean as they come."

"Mrs. Swan gave me a few names but... Emmett, it's like Bella just disappeared into thin air."

_"Who's knocking on my door like some raving maniac?" Renee yelled from behind the door._

_"Mrs. Swan, my name is Edward...Edward Cullen. I need to talk to Bella."_

_"Well, Bella doesn't live here," she yelled back through the door._

_"Do you know where I can find her?"_

_"She moved to some podunk town in Colorado. You want to see her, go there!"_

_"Mrs. Swan, please—Bella hasn't been at the Dwyer Lake Ranch in over a month."_

_Edward turned to leave when he heard the locks of the twisting from inside. When the door finally opened, an older version of Bella, minus Phil's features, stood there eyeing him from head to toe._

_"Oh, great. Now I have rednecks coming to my door." Her disdain for him or anything country was evident in her tone and clearly written on her face—Edward felt the urge to step back. _

_Bella's mother was barely covered in a silky robe, and it was obvious that she'd been drinking. Reflexively, he wrinkled his nose as the smell of booze assaulted him._

_"I already told you, she isn't here. If she's not in Colorado, I don't know where the fuck she is. Try getting a hold of her ex Tyler, or that blonde bimbo she use to run with, Rosalie."_

_"Ma'am as you can obviously see, I'm not from around here. Could you be more specific?" Edward asked. _

_"Tyler Crowley and Rosalie King, or Hale, or whatever she goes by these days. Look them up in the phone book," Renee spat as she stepped back from the door. "And when you find her, tell her Sam finally left me, and she's dead to me. I don't have a daughter." Then the door was closed with a loud ringing of wood colliding with wood. _

_At least Edward had a few new leads, but more importantly, he once again had hope. _

**I Owe You One**

"The names? Um..." Edward stuttered, caught off guard by Emmett's question. He quickly searched the dash of his truck for the piece of paper he'd written the names on.

"Rosalie King or Hale and Tyler Crowley," Edward finished once he had found his note. He would have asked about spelling, but Renee had slammed the door in his face.

"Give me a few days," Emmett said, pausing to look around his desk. "I'll see what I can find out from my end."

"Thanks, Emmett, but isn't that like breaking the law... or something?"

"Not if I file a missing person's report or slap a warrant out for her arrest, it's not."

"Okay," Edward said, drawing out the word and shaking his head. "But you know Bella's gonna flip if you do something like that, right?"

"At this point, Edward, I don't care what kind of tantrum she throws. Can't be any worse than running away now, can it?"

Edward could hear the emotion in his friend's voice. He'd known Emmett too many years to miss it, and he knew just how protective his friend could be.

"I'll wait for your call then. And Emmett... thanks, man, I owe you one."

_Three young men stumbled from the bonfire, the two younger men dragging a very drunk Emmett. If Emmett got caught drunk again, he would be suspended from the football team. And if he was suspended, he would lose the football scholarship they had been out celebrating._

_"Edward, I think we need to find smaller friends." Jasper snickered as he and Edward pulled and pushed the passed-out linebacker into the bed of his truck._

_"Hey, we'd do the same if it was you," Edward commented as they finally got Emmett's feet adjusted so they could close the tailgate._

_"Yeah, maybe. But you guys wouldn't have gotten a hernia tossing me into the back of a truck." Jasper laughed, freeing the truck keys from the front pocket of Emmett's jeans._

_"Let's just hope his mamma doesn't find out about this. If she finds out, he won't need a scholarship because he'll be dead." Both boys laughed as they settled into the cab of the truck._

_"Well," Jasper said, weighing the choices. "Should we take the high road, or the low road?"_

_One road was well traveled, smooth, and led to the highway. The other road was filled with ruts and took forever to get back. _

_"The low road," Edward commented, slapping Jasper on the back. "Maybe someone will learn his lesson about drinking and making us clean up the mess."_

_"Hell with that! We'll drive him home; he can clean up his own messes."_

**Starlight, Starbrite**

It's not that Edward was a stranger to big city living; he'd attended college in Houston, Texas for four years. He just wasn't used to feeling closed in, like he did, as he drove through the metropolitan area called Manhattan. He wondered how Bella had survived growing up there living in the shadows of inanimate, cold buildings and never really seeing the sun, moon, or stars. For Edward, New York City was like a living death of sorts.

He wondered if Bella took any comfort in the contrast of home compared to New York, because he didn't. There was too much concrete, too many people, and you couldn't see the stars.

_"Bella, what are you doing out here this time of night?" Edward asked, sitting on the ground and joining Bella as she gazed at the stars. Somehow, after the last fight they'd had, they had come to some sort of silent truce._

_"That's Orion over there... and that's the big dipper... and the little dipper is right there. She said, lying on her back and pointing up at the sky. "It's not that I've haven't seen the stars before, I just don't remember them being so big," she finished and fell into silent wonder of how magnificent the heavens were._

_"That's Draco, the dragon, over there and right there next to that big bright one there is-"_

_"Aquarius," Bella spoke, filling in the title, smiling. Edward looked at Bella and noticed her smirk._

_"Know-it-all," he said playfully._

_"So, you finally agree with me?"_

_Edward and Bella laughed before slipping back into a comfortable silence watching the stars, together._

_But Edward was watching more than the stars. He was watching the woman next to him watch the stars, and now that he was paying attention, he saw her. He saw the naive little girl locked in a woman's body. He saw the woman who was greedy for the things around her, not the flashy lights or the night life of the city._

**Central Park Fountain**

Edward tried to put himself in Bella's shoes, being from the big city. But it wasn't like Bella had never been to the country before. But why would she have felt so overwhelmed?

How did someone get into somebody else's mind? With nothing else do to, Edward decided he'd go to Central Park and try to see things from Bella's perspective. Maybe... just maybe, he'd feel a little closer to her and not so lost.

As Edward strolled deeper into the park, he noticed the contrast of the grass, concrete, and asphalt trails. He watched people flock to the wide open areas and relax, taking in the day's sunshine.

He concentrated on the older people and couples sitting at park benches feeding birds day-old bread and connecting with something that would help answer his questions. Deeper into the park, Edward followed the squeals and screams of children's laughter. Setting within round concrete curbs and elaborate metal fencing was a large frog statue, water pulsing skyward from its back and falling down like rain, droplets of water covering the expanse of the fountain.

Standing behind the people surrounding the fountain, Edward watched as children of all shapes and sizes raced back and forth under the umbrella of water, laughing and simply being children.

As the smile tugged at the edges of Edward's lips, he understood why Bella had shown him pictures as he remembering one of their first fights. _"What do you mean, you don't get it?" Bella asked as Edward looked at the picture she had handed him._

_"Why in the hell would you bring a 'piece of the city' to a natural rural area like Dwyer Lake? I thought that's what you were trying to get them away from. Exposing those big city snobs to something more natural, beautiful."_

_"It's not like I'm trying to recreate Central Park or something. Jesus, Edward, it's just a fountain, a centerpiece so to speak. It's just so different here. I don't want them to feel completely lost and overwhelmed."_

_"It isn't? You don't? Oh wait, Bella. It's an abomination, that's what that thing is! An abomination. If you want the city so bad, why don't you just go back? Ow! What the fuck was that for?" Edward asked, blocking the things that were suddenly flying across the room. "Stop throwing shit at me! Ow! Damn it, woman-"_

_"Out, get out! Get the fuck out of my house!" she screamed with an emphasis on my. "And stay out!" she ordered, standing in the door way._

_"You're crazy... You know that right?" Edward pulled at his hair with both hands, hard._

_"And you're... you're just an ass, Edward Cullen," she screamed, slamming the door. _

_Outside, Edward smiled, rubbing his chest where the book she threw had hit as he walked away. _

_"At least she got one thing right. I am an ass," he mused lightheartedly. Edward was starting to enjoy getting Bella riled up more than he should. "And she has one hell of an arm for a girl," he laughed, moving on._

_Eventually, Bella shoved her drawings into the bottom of a box and then placed the box in the back of a closet she never used. Bella didn't speak to Edward for a week after that. And then when she did, it was short and business related._

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	5. Chapter 4

**A/N This chapter was beta'd Angelz1114577 and sniprocker123 from Project Team Beta. Even after reading my horrid grammar, they still liked the story line (Yeah) even as they waded through my homophone and comma addiction.**

**I received an email stating that I had submitted and had enough chapters returned that if I felt that any of the beta's stood out to me, I could ask for a permanent assignment. All the Beta's stood out to me, each having their own strengths So much in fact, that I eventually decided that I didn't have enough chapters left to make that decision and left it in God's hands. Each Beta that has worked on my story has my utmost respect.**

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**Home-Not-Home-Home**

**Chapter 4**

**Women of New York**

"Hey, Edward. I found an address for Rosalie King," Emmett greeted days later. He and Edward had been friends far too long to worry about hellos and goodbyes.

Emmett's timing couldn't have been better. Edward had started losing hope that he'd ever find Bella. Edward wrote the address on his hand, vowing not to wash it, because he couldn't find a scrap of paper that wasn't filled with scribbles already.

"Thanks, Emmett. I'm on it," he said, hitting end on his phone and reaching for the map in the glove box. After a few minutes of searching the map, he verified where he was located and plotted a route to the address written on his hand.

After thirty minutes of driving in city traffic, Edward parked his truck and deposited two dollars in the parking meter. Surely an hour was plenty of time.

Edward was crestfallen as he entered the building. Even though what he found was every man's wet-dream, it wasn't the apartment building that he had expected it to be.

From the outside, the building didn't look like a mechanic's shop, but according to the address that's he'd scribbled on his hand, that's what it was suppose to be. _How could this be an address for Rosalie King? _Edward questioned, thinking back to the day before when he arrived at Tyler Crowley's apartment.

"_Excuse me. Is this where Tyler Crowley lives?" Edward asked the young woman who had answered the door._

"_It is. How can I help you?" she answered Edward, looking at him like he was from outer space._

"_I'm trying to find his ex, Bella Swan. Do you know if he's heard from her?"_

"_You mean the mousey brunette that left him for some stupid town that even God hasn't heard of? No, we haven't and don't want to. But you can thank her for me. Tyler is wonderful; her loss. Have a good day, and don't come back."_

_Edward stood there, blinking at the closed door. What was it with people slamming doors in his face?_

_**You a Cop?**_

"Not from around here, are you?" a woman said from behind the counter, bringing his attention back to the present.

She was tall, wearing a dirty set of coveralls and a golf cap that covered her head and ears, while chewing a piece of gum or candy. A strip of jet black hair fell to the side of her oil smudged face, framing it. He noticed her blue eyes as she tucked the exposed clump hair behind her ear.

"No, Ma'am. I'm not," Edward said, not adding the rest of the though that included shooting himself had he been from around here. Her laugh might have been genuine, but Edward could feel his temper edge higher despite the musical tone.

"No, no, no. You're supposed to reply here's your sign, cowboy," she said, running her hands up and down. Her gesture was meant to say, "look at me."

"Is there a manager available that can help me? I'm trying to locate Rosalie King," he replied, irritated that the woman was making fun of him. He didn't have time to chat or hang out or make small talk. He was on a mission.

"Who's asking?" she said, still chewing her gum. "You a cop?"

"No, Ma'am. I'm not a cop. My name is Edward Cullen, and I need Rosalie's help to find a missing friend of ours," he added, hoping that the woman would send someone else out to help him.

"And who's your missing friend? Or was _he_ a love interest that ran away because you acted like a Neanderthal?" she asked in a sarcastic, accusing tone, working to ruffle the leggy cowboy's feathers.

"_Her_ name is Bella Swan. Can you help me locate Rosalie King, or not?" Edward asked, starting to lose his temper. How dare she call him a Neanderthal. At least he didn't look or act like a grease monkey that probably didn't know the difference between a ratchet and a screw driver. But Edward didn't say that. He would bite his own tongue off if she could help.

"Maybe. Give me a few minutes. "

**Rosalie Hale**

Rosalie walked into her office, shedding her coveralls before washing her hands and face. She put on some deodorant, then stripped off the tank top she was wearing and pulled a fresh blouse out of her locker, a little lower cut, and pulled on a fresh pair of fitted jeans.

She un-twisted her blonde hair, letting it fall down her back. Looking in the mirror, she ruffled the lock of hair she'd colored black a few months ago. She liked that it put people off balance. It was another wall between her and the rest of the world.

When she looked at the monitor sitting on her desk, Edward was still there, rolling his hat around in his hands. The fact that he looked lost and a little over whelmed caused her to grin.

His hair was a messy mix of chestnut and copper, and longer than he was probably used to. She remembered his eyes were green with a splash of brown freckles. She wondered if his shirt intensified the green or the brown.

His blue flannel shirt was wrinkled slightly but showed he had wider shoulders that tapered down nicely at the waist. The belt woven through the loops of his jeans was worn and rough at the edges from months, if not years, of use.

The knees of his pants were lighter than the rest of fabric of his jeans but not thread bare, just faded.

His boots were not fancy. There were no silver decorations around the toes. They were simply for work, not show.

He looked worn down and tired, but still sexy as hell for someone that wasn't her type.

"_Oh my, my, my, dear sister. What have you gotten yourself into this time?_

Rosalie oozed confidence and power as she strutted past Edward wiggling her fingers. The motion was a common invitation to follow before she sauntering out the door.

**Walk**

Edward's eye's widened in surprise when the female grease-monkey returned no longer clad in coveralls or that funky style golf cap.

She had a long, beguiling streak of black hair framing one side of her face, a stark contrast to the rest of her blonde locks that fell the length of her back, nearly reaching her waist.

"Come on, cowboy," she said, sauntering past.

Edward was confused but followed her. As they walked through the throngs of people, Edward started to wonder if it was a good idea to follow the strange woman down the busy sidewalk. _Who was this blonde bimbo?_ Then it clicked, Rosalie King.

Rosalie led the way into a restaurant just a short distance away without a word. It wasn't until she had a fresh cup of coffee sitting before her that she broke the silence.

They talked for hours, and as strange as Rosalie was, Edward felt like he'd just found a long lost friend. When Rosalie had demanded the whole story, he gave it to her, much to his own surprise. He never expected to open up to anyone, other than Bella, about how he felt. And now that she had demanded an answer to the one question he didn't want to answer, he hesitated, weighing the possible outcomes.

Rosalie grabbed her purse, pushed herself from the booth and stormed toward the door.

As Rosalie walked away, their conversation rolled around Edward's mind. Each word was like a punch to the gut.

"_So, cowboy," she started, then took a sip from her cup. "How can I help you?"_

"_Well, Ms. King-"_

"_Don't call me that..." she spat. "Rosalie, please, just Rosalie," she corrected. She knew Edward didn't know her story, but she didn't need reminders of previous mistakes either._

"_Sorry," Edward said, taking a deep breath. Her warning was loud and clear that he needed to tread lightly. "I need to find Bella so I can take her back home."_

"_Home? Bella hasn't had a home in years. Besides, what makes you think she'd leave with you? What makes you so special, Edward Cullen?"_

_Edward let the questions roll around in his head, contemplating each one seriously before he answered._

"_One, Bella does have a home, but New York City isn't it. Two, once I get my hands on her, she doesn't have a choice. And three... nothing, absolutely nothing makes me special."_

"_So, you love her then?"_

"_I didn't say that. I said I might have feelings for her."_

"_Bella doesn't need another douche-bag in her life. Feelings will not get you what you want...or need. It doesn't matter anyway because it sounds like love to me," she said wistfully._

"_You big city people sure throw that word around a lot."_

"_Maybe we do...Maybe we don't, but at least we use it, unlike some people. I dare you to say it. I dare you to think about Bella and see how the word feels coming off your tongue."_

"_Nope."_

"_Chicken."_

_Edward thought about it in a long, drawn-out silence._

"_So, what if I do?"_

"_Say it," Rosalie challenged. "Chicken shit," Rosalie said with disgust when Edward refused. "You don't deserve her. I'm out of here. You're on your own. And call your dogs off. If Bella doesn't want to see you, I'm sure as hell not helping you."_

Edward still hadn't said anything by the time she reached the door, but she couldn't find the strength just yet to step through. She would give him just a few more seconds as she gathered herself and her strength.

Edward watched as his new friend, Rosalie, paused at the restaurant door, ready to bolt. He couldn't allow her to get away; she was the last link he had at that moment to Bella.

Just as Rosalie forced herself to open the door to leave, Edward stopped her, defeated.

Rosalie tensed instinctively from his touch but forced herself to relax and locked eyes with him, waiting.

"I love her. I love Bella Swan. I'm in love with your best friend. Please, help me?" he begged. The sincerity of her eyes picked away at the hard, protective layer of her heart.

"Let's go, cowboy. We need a plan."

"Would you stop calling me that? I have a name, you know."

"Whatever, cowboy," Rosalie said drawing out the pet name, laughing when Edward rolled his eyes and looked away. She was grateful she hadn't been wrong.

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**Can't wait to hear what everyone thinks...**

**Don't forget to check out the other extended stories from The Heart of Country Contest!**

**Down Home, by MissSpaceCowboy. _/s/9070588/1/Down-Home_**

**The Sound of Steel Guitars on a Fallen Soul by staceleo. /s/9070951/1/The-Sound-of-Steel-Guitars-on-a-Falle n-Soul**

**Tethered by Jonesn./s/9070514/1/Tethered**

**I tried to check around and make sure others were not being extended by these are the only ones that had more than one chapter to them.**

**Read, Retell, Review...**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N This chapter was Beta'd by Team Edward Rules All and Michelle. I'm sure they would never believe that I do what they suggested. I just can't read my own work. The letters, commas, and errors all roll into one big mess.**

**Thank you TERA (hmm, I like that) and Michelle for your ability to make sense from my nonsence.**

**Any errors that remain are on me... because I have a tendency to over think.**

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**Home, not Home, Home**

**Chapter 5**

**You have twenty-four hours**

"_You have twenty-four hours to call me back. I know you, and I know you're checking your voice mails. What the fuck is going on? Why is there a warrant out for your arrest, and since when are you missing? And why the fuck do I have cops coming to my place of business, looking for you? I love you like a sister, but Bella, I don't need this shit. Call me now!"_

Sitting in a drab hotel room she had rented, Bella banged her head on the table as she listened to her friend's voice mail. _What am I going to do now?_ She knew it was inevitable that her friend would find out that she was back in New York, but this wasn't how she'd hoped to reunite with her best friend, or how Rose would find out she had returned.

There was only one thing to do, and that was to face the music. How long could she put off the inevitable? Bella knew that if she waited the full twenty-four hours, Rose would hunt her down instead.

Bella traced the numbers on her cell and pushed talk. _How much time had already passed since Rose had left the message?_

"Hi, Rose."

The conversation was brief. There was no hint of humor in Rose's voice as she ordered Bella to be at her apartment in the morning. Rose didn't want to talk on the phone; she wanted a face-to-face meeting. Bella planned to bring chocolate chip and oat muffins, plus coffee, hopefully to soften her sister's anger.

**Into Action**

Rose seemed relieved, but there was a tension in the air. Their conversation was about the weather and gossip about people they both knew. Rose seemed reserved—standoffish. Bella didn't know how to bridge the gap between the Rose she knew and the Rose that sat on the other side of the kitchen table. Bella even complimented Rose on her black streak of bangs that she'd never seen before.

With the sounds of a solid knock at the door, Rosalie's devilish smile brought Bella up short. Her eyes were terrified. Her friend was already standing at the door when Bella found her voice and hissed.

"You didn't!" Bella accused. Her voice was laced with venom, anger, and disbelief. How could her only childhood friend do this to her—her sister! After all the times she had harbored a criminal, protecting Rosalie, how could she turn her into the cops?

"Oh, yes, honey. I, in fact, did!" Rosalie answered, pulling open the front door. "About fucking time, cowboy," she greeted her strange new friend.

Edward was too giddy to speak. He'd heard Bella's voice behind the door before he'd knocked. He felt energized, excited, nervous, and fearful all at the same time. Without thinking, he grabbed Rosalie's face and pulled her closer giving her a huge kiss on the lips (the brotherly type, not romantic). She had done what it seemed no on else could have done by finding Bella.

Rosalie's eyes were wide, shocked, when Edward released her. She never would have expected that kind of reaction from a friend, especially one she'd just met days before. But what a meeting it had been. Cowboys were such strange creatures.

Deep down inside, she knew she'd never have a chance with someone like Emmett, no matter what Edward had suggested.

**Taking the Stairs**

"What are you doing here?" Bella hissed, backing away as Edward breached the distance between them.

"I'm here to take you home!"

"I am home," Bella defended.

"Doesn't look like Dwyer Lake Ranch to me. So, this ain't it," Edward corrected, before making his move.

"Edward! What are you doing?" Bella screamed.

Rosalie laughed, watching Edward hike Bella across his shoulders. He definitely wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Taking you home, evidently by force. I thought I already answered that question, didn't I Rosalie?" Edward's question caused Rosalie to laugh harder as she opened the front door, allowing Edward to lug Bella into the hall like a sack of potatoes.

"Yes, yes, you did. You have a full tank of gas, right?" Rosalie asked, ignoring the screams of protest from her best friend.

"Yup, plus another fifty in the back."

"You traitorous bitch," Bella spit at her now ex-friend.

"Yup, but you'll thank me... eventually," she answered back and then shut the door, still laughing.

Afraid that Bella would get the upper hand, Edward opted to march down the five flights of stairs to maintain momentum instead of using the elevator. Bella tried to kick and screamed to be put down with every step Edward took, but he didn't stop.

**Words of Advice**

Finally reaching his truck, Edward beamed as he opened the door, dropping Bella into the passenger seat, and quickly closing it, essentially locking the door.

Bella rushed to open the door but there was no handle, no way to lock or unlock the door, or even to roll down the window.

"Edward, let me the fuck out of here," she screamed through the window, while slapping at the glass. Her anger increased ten fold as she watched Edward. His grin widened as his imagination replayed _the plan_ like a movie.

"_Are you sure this isn't going too far, Rosalie? Edward questioned as she opened his passenger door._

"_You know Bella almost as well as I do. The only difference is that I have a long past with her. Trust me," Rosalie replied, smirking when Edward smiled back. He knew, just as well as she did, that this was not too far, maybe not far enough._

"_She's going to be furious! And...shit, I'm going to be locked in there with her. This is nuts, plain and simple."_

"_Oh," she said, dragging the word out. "Do you need me to tell you how this is going to play out? Really?"_

"_Play out?"_

**Take Care of Her**

"Hey, cowboy," Rosalie shouted down from her apartment window. "Take good care of my sister, will you?"

"Why don't you come too, and make sure of it?" Edward yelled back up, still laughing.

He would never have thought to remove the inside of the door panel. There was no way Bella was getting out on that side. Thank god she was too angry to try the door on his side.

"_Of course, she's going to be angry, and she'll probably give you hell trying to escape. That's why you're going to make sure you have plenty of fuel to make it to the state line before you have to stop somewhere. She's going to refuse to talk or look at you, but you're going to use that time to apologize. And then, somewhere between here and there, she's going to try and escape but you'll be expecting that already, and catch her."_

"_What good will forcing her, against her will, to go back to Colorado do? If she's mad at me, and I force her, what is it going to prove? Nothing," Edward said, mumbling the last word under his breath._

**I like a Challenge**

"Maybe I will!" Rosalie shouted back, still leaning out the window of her apartment.

"Maybe you should! Chicken shit," he challenged.

Watching Rosalie hang out the window, Edward knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Emmett would be hooked. Rosalie may have come off as hard and even uncaring, but it was all a rouse. Just like the streak of black hair was a fake wall to keep people at arms length, so was the hard noise facade she had perfected for years. Underneath it all, Rosalie was a caring, loving individual.

"_Emmett, Victoria's a tramp! Why would you want a piece of that? You might get some incurable disease," Edward said to a very drunk Emmett, not so sober himself._

"_Man, Edward, she's got a tattoo, just below the rise of her jeans. How could I not want a piece of that? It's not like I want to marry her. I mean, if she wasn't such a, I don't know, maybe, but..." Emmett finished off, too drunk to put into words what he was thinking. _

"_You're a sick, sick man, Emmett McCarty," Edward bellowed._

"_Nah, I just like a challenge."_

_It wasn't Victoria's rough exterior that put him off, or her tattoo, it was the fact that she was just as hard on the inside as she was on the outside. There was nothing soft when it came to Victoria, and Emmett needed someone that was at least soft on the inside, if not both._

**See You Soon**

Edward shouted back at her lack of response, before crawling into the drivers seat of his truck.

"See you soon!"

"_Okay. What is it that Rosalie Hale wants out of life then?" Edward asked. When Rosalie refused to participate in the conversation, he continued. "Own her own beauty Salon? Adopt a dozen kids? Beat her husband?" Edward was relentless and went on nonstop with the ridiculous ideas until Rosalie relented. _

_Edward was getting on her nerves but never stopped in his questioning. He already understood that Rosalie wasn't one to talk about herself, but he'd also figured out that she wasn't as tough as she pretended. The fact that she was helping him was proof of that. Deep down Rosalie Hale had a soft side, whether she'd admit it or not._

"_Restoring old cars. That's what I would love to do. But..." Rosalie ended. She didn't want to admit what she really felt, but Edward pushed._

"_But," he prodded._

"_But those dreams only happen to people like Bella. Are you happy now!" she yelled throwing the wrench she was using across the room. Rosalie couldn't figure out why Edward had to prove how worthless she really was._

"_You don't believe that, do you?" he asked. How was it that city girls thought so little of themselves?_

"_Edward, are you really that stupid? Or are you just that naive? I have a criminal background. No one in their right mind will ever hire me to restore old cars for them. Have you really looked at me?" she asked, exasperated._

"_Then start your own business," Edward retorted. He was getting a little frustrated with her attitude. _

_Rosalie laughed historically._

"_Where? Where would I do something like that, Edward?"_

_At least he got her to call him Edward._

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**So, what did everyone think? Like? Hate? Will carry on, or flounce?**

**Read, review, and reshare! **


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N This Chapter was Beta'd by ****Nyx'sReincarnation and Lulu M from PTB (Project Team Beta) who both had encouraging words for me. Thank you ladies. I hope you have enough time to follow the rest of the story. **

**Right now, I am awaiting the return of the last chapter. Updates will be much faster once it has found it's way Home. (um... I cap'ed Home on perpose... )**

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**Chapter 6**

**Home, Not Home, Home**

**No Grade Goes Unpunished**

Bella sat quietly in the passenger's seat of Edward's truck, looking out the window, as he drove. Neither spoke as they passed the city limits just as rush hour began. As the cold concrete of the city disappeared in the rear view mirror, Edward felt the fresh air begin to fill his lungs once again. Had he really been in New York for three full weeks or was it a month? He couldn't remember and he didn't care. He'd been away from Bella longer than that, and one day away from her was one day too many. He wanted to look at her, but more importantly, he wanted her to look at him. He wanted Bella to see that he had changed, that she had changed him.

_Edward was already seated in the booth across from __Emmett__, waiting for the cup of coffee Alice had run off to get. Alice was shaking her head as she went._

_"What do you mean? That's my new boss?" Edward asked, once he stopped rubbing his dick through his jeans. The little brunette that had just chewed his ass was a spitfire, and he liked it._

_"I mean, Bella Swan is your new boss. She's the new owner of Dwyer Lake Ranch," __Emmett__ started to comment, but how could he explain the rest of it. __Emmett__ watched as Edward processed his words. First, Edward's brows creased in confusion as he looked around, and then his face went blank. Finally anger set in. __Emmett__ mentally __prepared__ himself. _

_"Phil sold out?" Edward questioned a little angrily, throwing himself back in the booth. "That son of a bitch. Why didn't anyone tell me?"_

_"Edward," __Emmett__ began, crossing his fingers under the table as his mind whispered a silent prayer. "I tried to call you... seven months ago, but you didn't return my calls. I know you were busy with school and everything. But Phil didn't sell out. He had a heart attack and died. His __niece__, Bella, inherited the ranch."_

_Everyone knew that Edward had a short fuse, not that he would really hurt anyone. He just said things without thinking at times; hurtful things. That's why Phil had hired him to work the ranch the summer after his parents were killed in a car accident. Phil believed he just needed some direction and maybe working would give him that. _

_Emmett__ and Alice watched their friend as the truth sank in, Emmett from across the table and Alice from a distance. Edward was lost for words. __Emmett__ had to be lying; they all did. Edward looked around at all the faces watching him, refusing to look them in the eyes. _

_Edward shifted from the booth and strolled out of the cafe without a word, his anger and grief warring for dominance. That explained all the calls he'd been too stressed out to return. He didn't want to admit he'd almost failed out of school, that he had let Phil down._

**Feeling Betrayed**

Bella couldn't look at him_, Edward. _She shuddered involuntarily as his name bounced around her head. She couldn't figure out why he was doing this, why he had come to New York and now had her trapped in his truck. But what really boiled her goose was that her life long friend had helped him. Rosalie had set her up for what? After everything they had been through, how could she help someone who didn't want her around? How had Edward won her friend over so easily? What had he told her?

_Bella had just moved into her new apartment and hadn't expected anyone to visit yet. She wasn't even unpacked when the doorbell rang. Rosalie was standing on the outside. She looked more scared than Bella had ever seen her. _

_"Rose?" Bella asked, confused until her friend turned and faced her. When Bella saw Rose face to face, she was worried and terrified for her._

_"I'm sorry, Bells. I didn't have any where else to go," Rosalie whispered not meeting her friend's gaze. Bella quickly pulled her inside, looking down both ways of the hall._

_"What the hell happened to you?" Bella asked, moving quickly to the kitchen to grab something cold out of the freezer; a bag of peas would do the trick._

_"Royce," was all that Rosalie said. That was all Bella needed to hear. _

_"He did this to you? We need to call the police," Bella said. _

_Rosalie's lip was bleeding, and the area surrounding one of her eyes was red, the beginning of a bruise. Rosalie shook her head __vehemently__ as the rest of her body shook too; there would be no police._

_As Bella took stock of her friend's appearance, panic __swept__ through her._

_"Rose, did he... did he..." Bella couldn't say the word. Rosalie's shirt was torn, and her cloths were covered with oil and dirt. Rose just nodded and fell apart in Bella's arms crying._

_When the girls had met Royce King just out of __high school__, neither had suspected what kind of monster he really was. He'd always seemed to be a fun loving person, ambitious in his chosen career. But once Rose and he started dating and getting serious, his happy go lucky ways started to disappear, replaced with someone who was __jealous__ and controlling._

_Bella had tried early on to warn Rosalie of what she was seeing, but Rose was too star struck to see it too. Rosalie was going to have to learn the hard way._

_The next day, Rosalie still refused to call the police, but she did agree to file for divorce. _

_Bella added a second line to her cell phone plan and made her friend swear to never give Royce the number; she never did. That wasn't enough to keep Royce away. After the third, or was it the fourth, time he'd beaten her, Rose filed for a restraining order._

**Listen to the Radio**

Edward looked at the gas gauge that was now sitting just under a half a tank. He figured they had been driving almost two hours and had traveled almost one hundred and fifty miles. He started watching for a place to pull over and use several of the ten five-gallon, gas cans that he'd placed in the bed of the truck, but before he did that, it was time to begin the next phase of the plan.

"Bella," Edward started, as he glanced at her frame just inches away. "Can we talk?" The silence that followed gave Edward hope and maybe, just maybe, Rosalie had overestimated Bella's wrath.

"Please?" Edward asked, trying to get a response from the angry kitten.

Edward was ready to jump in feet first and tell Bella everything at the first sign that she'd listen.

When Bella finally did act, it only proved that Rosalie knew Bella better than he did, almost.

Reaching forward, Bella turned on the radio and turned the volume up. She glared at Edward who's laugh vibrated through the cab. Edward just shook his head. So far, Edward had stuck to the plan Rosalie had mapped out.

_"You're going to drive as far as you can before stopping to refuel. But you don't want to stop at a gas station or anywhere within city limits."_

_"I'm going to what?"_

_"Let me finish," Rosalie snapped. "If you want to keep from being castrated or arrested, you need to wait as long as possible before stopping. Bella's going to need time to cool down."_

_"You really think she's going to be that mad?"_

_"Um, duh, Cowboy," Rosalie answered as if he should already know that. _

_"Okay, so she'll be pretty riled up. I get it. What I don't get is why I have to wait so long."_

_With a deep sigh, Rosalie continued. "Here's what you can do to test if it's safe to stop or not. Try asking Bella if you can talk. If she talks to you, great. If she turns on the radio to ignore you, whatever you do, do not stop where there are people around."_

_"What does people being around have to do with anything?"_

_"Let me ask you a question, Cowboy. If a __beautiful__ brunette came running up to you and said she was being kidnapped by some crazy ass redneck, what would you do?"_

_"I would probably call the cops and kick his ass until they got there... Oh... she would too, wouldn't she?" Rosalie didn't answer the __rhetorical__ question. _

_"It will take a few __trys__. When you've had enough of her spoiled brat rich kid act, rip the stereo out of the dash and throw it out the window."_

_"You want me to throw a perfectly good radio out the window?"_

_"Yup," she said, popping the p. Rosalie stared at the horror __stricken__ look on Edward's face and smirked. "I've already loosened the screws and prepped the wires to minimize the damage, so it will be easy. What's wrong, Cowboy? Your radio more important than my friend? That's what it's going to take to get her attention, now."_

_"No, but what good will it do if she's mad at me and doesn't want to leave with me going to prove? Nothing," Edward said mumbling the last word under his breath._

"_Wrong again, Cowboy," Rosalie replied, dragging out the word to were it sounded like two instead of one. "That's when you're going to kiss her and hold her tight. Make sure to cover your junk so she doesn't kick you," she continued: and then laughing at the perplexed expression on Edward's face as his hand __instinctively__ covered his manhood._

"_Then, she'll stop fighting... And if you're lucky, if she love's you back, she'll start kissing you."_

_Edward didn't say another word, just scratched and pulled his hair while flipping his hat in the opposite hand. He had one more question but was afraid to ask._

**Sorry for Your Loss**

Bella was trying to calm down. Part of her couldn't believe she was in Edward's truck. She looked at the stripped out door frame, awed at how much damage Rosalie had done to Edward's truck.

Once her brain kicked in, even though she was still angry, the questions came much quicker than the answers did. _Why did Rosalie help Edward? How long had he been in New York? Why had he traveled so far from home? And why was he kidnapping her? _The questions swirled around in her head, faster and faster, until she actually felt dizzy.

How many time's had he tried to talk to her now? Two? Three? Couldn't he understand that she didn't want to talk to him? It was just going to end the same way as always, almost always.

_"__Mrs__. Swan, I'm Edward Cullen. I'm one of Phil's ranch hands. I __apologize__ for my earlier actions. You know, in town at the cafe." He'd seemed contrite and apologetic._

_"So, you're __Mr__. Cullen." Bella had been notified that once __Mr__. Cullen, the head ranch hand, arrived, She would have to deal with his presence for the duration of her stay. It was part of the agreement she had accepted when she moved there. It wasn't that he was a bad person or anything. He worked hard but had a reputation for not playing well with others. "Come in," Bella said, as she opened the screen door wider._

_"That's all right, __Mrs__. Swan. I still need to settle into the bunkhouse and then check to see what needs to be done around the place. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for your loss. Your Uncle Phil... he meant a lot to...people around here."_

_Bella had so many questions about her uncle, but Edward walked away, head down, shoulders slumped, brushing the side of his jeans with his hat before she could ask a single one._

**Nothing wrong with the Radio**

Edward did as Rosalie had said. He'd had enough of the radio being used as a tool to ignore him. He didn't let Bella see the mild shock he felt when, after rolling down the window, he ripped the stereo free from the dash and tossed it out the window. With a raised eyebrow and a cocky grin, Edward realized how effortless it had separated itself from its place on the dash. Rosalie was right, again.

From the stunned expression on Bella's face, Edward was sure she was going to say something, anything. After all, he had just acted like the bully she had always accused him of being. He had just treated her like the spoiled child she was acting like and discarded the toy as if it were nothing.

When she still refused to speak, Edward knew she was planning ways to escape, but he was ahead of her on that front too. He drove lazily through the next city they came to, looking for the perfect gas station, one he knew she would try to escape from.

"_Bella, where are you?" Edward asked as he closed the door behind him. He had just finished checking on the horses before returning to the main house. Now that it was winter, and the rest of the hands had moved on til spring, the bunkhouse was empty, and Edward was sleeping in the main house._

_Bella didn't answer, so he followed the sounds of muffled sobs that led straight to Bella. She was sitting in the __living room__ next to a cold fireplace, shivering._

_Bella?" Edward started to ask. He wasn't letting her sobs get to him this time. He didn't, couldn't afford to get close to her. "Why didn't you throw some wood on the fire before it went out?" he asked, a tinge of anger in his voice._

_"There wasn't any left," Bella replied, sniffling and pointing to where the wood was usually stacked. _

_"What happened to your hands?" Yes, Edward had forgotten to bring in more wood, but that didn't explain the appearance of Bella's hands. But the ax leaning against the fireplace did. "Where are you gloves?" Edward groaned and could have kicked himself being informed she didn't have any._

_Edward led Bella into the kitchen, forcing her to sit at the table, and filled a bowl with warm water and __Epson__ salt._

_"You need to wear gloves," Edward said as he held her wrists, flipping her hands over, inspecting them. He felt how soft her skin was and felt the urge to kiss the palms of her blistered and scratched hands. "Your hands are too soft for this kind of work."_

_"I wanted to help." She tried to explain._

_"Don't."_

_"Are you being a bully, telling me what I can and can not do? I need to know how to split wood. What will I do when you're not around anymore?"_

_Edward __submerged__ her hands into the water and left the kitchen quietly. He knew he'd leave __eventually__ but hadn't thought much about it._

**Refilling and Facilities**

"Perfect," he whispered when it came into view. Four gas pumps and a band of drunken bikers. Cowboys and bikers seemed to be a different breed on the outside, but on the inside, they both had similar rules.

Bella stared at Edward wide eyed as he pulled himself from the cab, tipping his hat in greeting to the strangers, before shutting the door.

Once the gas cans were full and the nozzle was filling the tank of the truck, Edward opened Bella's door.

"This is your last chance to use real facilities for the next six-hundred miles. Better make good use of it." Edward watched the fire return to Bella's eyes as she glared up at him, stealing herself against the fear he knew she felt, and grabbed her purse.

_"You want me to what?" Bella asked in horror. Edward had decided to show Bella the full extent of Dwyer Lake Ranch, on horseback._

_"You go behind a tree and squat. You're the one that said you needed to use the facilities. Well, out here on the ranch, that is the facilities," Edward said, laughing. It never dawned on him that she would be __opposed__ to using the bathroom in the woods. "I won't look. I'll be over there by the horses. Oh, and Bella, here's a roll of toilet paper."_

_"What was I thinking? Oh sure, Bella, we put a toilet on every acre of the property. So stupid. Now, he knows you really are a city girl."_

_Sure, Bella was embarrassed, but what was she suppose to do, wait? He pet the horses and fed them a snack of carrots while he waited . _

_"Just pick a spot, Bella. For Christ sake," he said in a raised voice to ensure she could hear him. He chuckled listening to her mumble and curse. _

_"I can't pee while your listening. Do something. Sing a song. Just make some noise please," Bella said loudly, still trying to find the right spot._

_"You're kidding, right?"_

_"Please, Edward. This is embarrassing enough as it is. I don't need to know you can hear me pee."_

_Edward couldn't think of anything to sing. The words to familiar songs felt just out of his grasp until he remembered one of his favorites._

_"Wish I was back on __rocky__ top down in the Tennessee Hills. Ain't no smoggy smoke on __rocky__ top. A__in't__ no telephone bills..." Edward couldn't believe he was actually trying to sing. He knew what Bella was doing, and it didn't bother him in the slightest, but he continued as requested. "__Rocky__ top you always be home sweet home to me... good o__l__rocky__ top. R__ocky__ top Tennessee..."_

_"Thanks... and you have a very calming singing voice."_

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	8. Chapter 7

This chapter was Beta'd by Shouvley and Edwardsfaovirtebrunette from Project Team Beta. Everyone give them a round of applause! They deserve it after dealing with my gramatical errors that seem to presist... uhg lol.

**Home, Not Home, Home**

**Chapter 7**

**Hauling Hogs**

Edward couldn't have planned a better stop. He chuckled as Bella rounded the corner for the bathroom. He wondered how long it would take her to notice that her cell phone was missing and how she would plot her escape.

"Hey, man, how's the trip going?" a long dark-haired biker asked. The question caused Edward to smirk. "Pretty young thing you have there," the man added, motioning toward the building where Bella had disappeared.

"And as spirited as a wild stallion ready to kill something," Edward joked.

Standing on opposite sides of the pump, both men introduced themselves as they continued fueling their modes of transportation. Edward, Jake.

"I know you're headed for Colorado, but can I ask you a favor?" Jake asked. At Edward's nod, Jake continued. "Our chase vehicle broke down, and we have a rider stranded. Think you could haul his bike to the next town?" Jake asked. Edward seemed like an OK guy, and Jake could only imagine the trouble James would get into if left behind.

"I can haul the bike, but I don't have room for passengers," Edward said, opening the passenger door.

"Kidnapping someone?" Jake asked, laughing when he noticed the inside of Edward's door.

"That's what she'd have you believe, but no, I'm taking her home," Edward replied, not knowing any other way to explain.

"Ah, wild stallion. I get it. Thanks man. I'll have a couple of boys bring the bike over and load it while I round up the rest."

_It was a Saturday, and Edward had finished his chores early. He'd worked hard for Phil all week long, trying to get ahead. The ranch had become his new home during the past four summers, and all he wanted to do was escape the heat and go swimming in Dwyer Lake. The Lake was spring fed, as were most of the lakes, but unlike others, this one was filled with jets of hot and cold and never froze over in the winter. Because it was spring fed, Edward always wondered why Phil didn't have it stocked with trout or bass. The fishing would have been great._

_Stripping off his clothes until he was as naked as the day he was born, Edward waded into the water until it was deep enough to submerge himself completely. Swimming in this lake was unlike any other lake for a hundred miles. Edward didn't know if it was the extreme jet streams in the lake or the mineral content or something else that revitalized him when his swim was over._

_Lying on a blanket under a grouping of trees, Edward wondered about the old brittle rope hanging from a high branch. Obviously from its appearance it had been secured there a long time ago. He wondered who found this spot as wonderful as he had. _

_Edward jumped and threw on his pants as the ground beneath him rumbled. He didn't hear a vehicle, only the thundering of hooves. Rushing over the embankment, Edward watched in amazement as a herd of wild stallions advanced through the trees and then disappeared._

_Edward had known about the feral mustangs, but he had never seen them, let alone up close. He was glad he'd tied Aro securely to the hitching post or he would have had to walk back to the bunk house. His impulse to jump on his horse and give chase was getting stronger with each beat of his heart, but he knew it would be stupid and Phil would be furious._

**She's Off Limits**

Bella tried to formulate a plan as she used the bathroom. She dug into her purse, searching for her cell only to realize it wasn't there. She knew Edward was already filling the tank of his truck, and that didn't leave her much time.

Could she reach the cashier before Edward caught up to her? And were the bikers a threat? She wasn't sure. Maybe they could be used to her advantage. _Bikers weren't necessarily bad, are they?" _she thought as she brushed her teeth. Weighting her options, Bella decided to try to get to the cashier. Maybe he would help?

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" A blonde man asked as Bella opened the door. Someone standing outside the bathroom door wasn't something that had crossed her mind.

"I need your help," Bella answered quickly as she tried to maneuver around the unshaven man who continued to block her. Panic started to rise as he took in her frame, raising an eyebrow before looking her in the eyes. "The man driving the truck out front kidnapped me. I need someone to call the police for me."

"Did he now? What a shame. Tsk, tsk, tsk," the biker replied. His voice dripped with mock sincerity and lustful teasing. "I could get you away from him, but what would be my reward?" the man suggested, moving closer and crowding the door.

Bella was scared and her panic was almost full blown as she glanced around the small bathroom looking for another way out. Her heart began to race and her palms became sweatty. _There were at least ten bikers out front. Where was Edward? Was he Okay? Did they hurt him?_

"James, back off! She's off limits!" a faceless voice yelled, just as Bella was preparing to scream. James started laughing, looking over his shoulder to someone that still remained out of sight.

"I was just having a little fun. No harm was done, Jake," he replied to the invisible stranger before stepping back from the doorway.

Once there was space to escape, Bella fled the bathroom and ran to Edward's truck. At least with Edward, Bella knew she was safe—too safe sometimes.

_Bella sprang from the house with the letter in her hand and ran to the barn where Edward had been working earlier._

_"Edward... Edward, where are you?" she yelled excitedly as she entered through the open barn doors. Bella couldn't wait to share the news that a law firm in New York was interested in sending some of their top executives to the ranch for the leadership program she had proposed several months before. This was proof she had been on the right track. She was too excited at the prospect to consider that she and Edward had butted heads. His constant denial that it would work pushed her to create better and better plans._

_The contrast of light inside and outside the barn caused her a momentary moment of blindness as she searched for Edward, not waiting for her eyes to adjust. She didn't see the obstacles lying on the ground in front of her as she stumbled._

_"You really need to slow down," Edward said, as he pulled her against him and steadied her. The green of his eyes left her dumb, all thoughts of the letter gone. The warmth of his hands against her back and the sweat of his chest under the palms of her hands trapped them both in a bubble neither expected nor wanted._

_It had been so long since anyone had held her that tight. Time was meaningless in that moment. It was the second time Bella had wanted Edward to kiss her, but the moment was broken as Edward released her and pulled back._

_"Did you need something, or were you just trying to scare the horses?"_

**She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not**

Relief flooded Bella when Edward pulled back on the interstate, leaving the bikers far behind. It was dark, and she couldn't remember the last time they pulled over to rest. Being cooped up in the truck was starting to get to her. Feeling like a prisoner was the last thing she wanted at the moment. What she did want was a hot bath and a bed. When was the last time she felt normal? It seemed like it had been days before she ran from Colorado, when she had realized how Edward really felt.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked without looking at him. At least the stars were visible.

"The better question is: why did you run?" Edward countered.

"You don't want the answer to that."

"Actually, I do," he stated. He just wanted an opening to explain how wrong he'd been over the last fifteen months.

_"What if she doesn't love me back?" Edward asked. The question had been like a plague in the back of his mind the whole time he and Rosalie spoke. Now that he had admitted he was in love with Bella, he didn't know how to deal with the repercussions of his own actions._

_Rosalie took a deep breath, looking at the ceiling. She had no clue how to answer.. Scenario after scenario played in the realm of her imagination. A young brunette girl sitting in a field of wild flowers, pulling petals from the flower she had picked. "He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me..." the young girl continued until all the petals were gone. _

_Rosalie didn't have an answer, so instead of giving him false hope or platitudes, she went back to work destroying the inside of Edward's truck._

_The silence dragged at a slow, stressful pace, neither willing to break it. _

_"You'll cross that bridge when it comes," she said finally, dropping the last bolt into a zip-lock baggie._

**Wild Flowers**

Bella rested her head against the window, looking into the depths of darkness that surrounded them as Edward drove back to the last place she wanted to be.

Why she ran didn't matter. She didn't even know why she had taken the chance and gone to Colorado in the first place. She hadn't had contact with her uncle Phil in ten years. She never received an invitation to his wedding or even a card at Christmas like before.

It was all a cosmic joke, a tease at something she would probably never have, something she had lost years ago at the tender age of fourteen. Silent tears stained the length of her face. The silence was better than the answer. And sleep was better than the questions.

_"I'm sorry, Bella, but this is the last summer that you'll be going to Colorado. Your uncle Phil met someone and doesn't have the time anymore to watch over you and his new wife," Renee said. "He's sorry, but his new wife doesn't like children. You can't call him anymore, either."_

_"But, but he's my uncle," Bella cried, not understanding why he didn't want her to return to the ranch. "What about Charlie?" she asked._

_"Bella, Charlie's just a stupid pony. Phil will probably sell him or send him to a butcher shop somewhere. Now, go to bed. I don't want to hear any more about Uncle Phil, Charlie, or Colorado."_

_That was the last time Bella was allowed to talk to her mom about anything related to Colorado. That was also the summer Bella met her new best friend, Rosalie Hale, while sitting in a grassy area of Central Park picking daisies as her mother sat on a bench talking to a man she didn't know._

**Missing You**

After minutes that had felt like hours, Edward noticed Bella had fallen asleep. Exhausted from the drive, he pulled the truck over at the next safe spot he found. With Bella asleep he could relax and let down his guard. He ached to touch her, to wipe the tears from her cheeks. Unfortunately, she hadn't given him the doorway he needed to talk, and now he worried even more that he had ruined something beautiful before it had a chance to grow.

Why had he been so stubborn and pigheaded for so long? Why had he been afraid to let her close? Why had he pushed her away, day after day, month after month?

"You were so full of spirit and so beautiful. And what was the first thing I did? I hurt you, and I didn't even know that Phil had died. I was such an idiot, Bella. I hope that someday you can forgive me," he whispered, as his fingers trailed lightly down her tear-stained face. His fingers tingled; electricity pulsed from them to his chest.

_A young man with unruly chestnut hair hidden beneath his red baseball cap stood at the fence, his arms draped and folded lazily over the top, chin nestled between his arms as he watched the horses parade around in the stock. It had been a long summer for a young Edward Cullen, coupled with bouts of anger, frustration, sadness, and fear. _

_But the man standing next to him, Phil Dywer, had never once lost his patience or temper with the young man. His elbows rested on the fence as his hands hung palms-down. His left foot, propped on the bottom rung, he was dressed in cowboy boots, dirty from a hard day's work. His once white t-shirt matched that of the boy next to him. Both needed a little bleach the next time they were washed._

_"Uncle Phil, you ever been in love?" Edward asked. He knew Phil wasn't his uncle, but calling the man mister, after he had stepped up to help after his parents died, just didn't seem to fit. Besides that, calling him Uncle still allowed Edward to feel like he was part of a family._

_"Once, a long, long time ago."_

_"Did you marry her?"_

_"I wanted to."_

_"Why didn't you?"_

_"Because she didn't love me back."_

_"Do you think you will ever fall in love again?"_

_"Why all the questions, Edward? What's going on?"_

_"I don't know. I guess I was just thinking about my parents... and how they were, before... you know, with Jas's parents getting a divorce and all... I was just wondering if I'll ever have something like that."_

_"That's a lot to think about for someone your age."_

_"I miss them."_

_"I know you do," Phil said, patting the young man on the back. He took off his hat and wiped his brow. Edward did the same. "I'll see you inside," Phil agreed, but not before placing his white Stetson on the young man's head. Seeing a wide smile with gaped teeth, he looked forward of the man Edward was becoming: Someone that, one day, he could have been proud to call son. Edward's parents would have been proud._

**Covet What's Not Yours**

Bella's eyes blinked as she woke. Sunlight filtered over the trees. She yawned and stretched, getting her bearings and looking for Edward. Her sleep had been restless, filled with light caresses and crushing confessions. It was too bad it had all been a dream. She wished she could sleep forever because there, her dreams came true. There, she was a woman in love who was loved back.

Looking up, Bella watched as Edward emerged from the trees just yards away. _Isn't it a sin to covet something that isn't yours? _

His long stride and careful footing brought him down the hill quickly and safely. Bella's breath caught when he lifted his eyes, catching sight of her. His face glowed, but she didn't know the cause. But what a sight it was to see, clad in blue jeans showing his long legs and his untucked shirt swirling around his hips. Topping it off a cocky grin and Stetson hat. What was it about cowboys that caused Bella to swoon?

Bella knew she was in trouble as she watched Edward slide behind the wheel. She didn't have it in her to fight anymore, but she still had to protect herself, and her heart.

**Before It Was Even Mine**

"Are you ready?" Edward asked. He and Bella had been on the road three days, and Edward hadn't stopped other than to fuel the truck, get them something to eat, and to catch a few hours of sleep alongside the road. Sure, he was tired and more than ready to be home, but after the phone call he'd just had with Jasper, he was excited.

"Ready for what?" Bella snapped back, killing Edward's excitement.

"To go home," he answered, noticeably less enthused.

"Home?" Bella huffed, returning her gaze to the passenger's window. "Why are you doing this? All I want right now, is a shower... and a bed... and a freaking toothbrush," Bella added, fighting back more exhausted tears.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I really am, but... I have to get you back to the ranch," Edward said, leaving out the most important part: that he loved her. Staring at the steering wheel, Edward tried to prepare himself to let her go if he had to, no strings attached. That's how much he loved her, but he couldn't let her lose everything else in the process.

"Why? Why do you have to get me back to the ranch?"

"Because you will lose everything if you're not back for a meeting with the lawyers."

"I already lost everything...before it was even mine to have," Bella responded cryptically, closing her eyes.

**Caged Animal**

Edward turned the key in the ignition because he didn't know how else to respond to Bella's statement. The words, _before it was even mine to have, _hammered in his head until he had a headache.

They'd been on the road about thirty minutes, just outside of St. Louis, Missouri, when Edward broke the silence.

"Bella, do you promise not to run from me if I stop and get us a motel room?"

"Whatever. I already tried that once, and it didn't work. I just can't stand feeling like a caged animal anymore," a defeated Bella replied.

Edward pulled into a motel once they had reached the other side. Once he had gotten a room key, he parked the truck outside the front door and opened the passenger door for Bella.

Gathering her few possessions, Bella followed as Edward unlocked the door and allowed her to enter.

Immediately, Bella went to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her before grabbing a washcloth. Without thought, she turned on the shower and stripped her clothes, stepping into the hot stream of water.

**A Foundation**

Edward watched the bathroom door close and heard the water start to run. Glancing around, he took in the meager furnishings. A queen sized bed, a small dresser, TV, and an overstuffed round chair. Either he was sleeping on the floor or in the truck because he didn't think there was any way Bella would feel comfortable sharing the bed. Like a caged animal...her words, not his.

After a trip to the truck, Edward returned with a few items of clothing and realized he hadn't thought this part through. Bella didn't have anything clean to wear so Edward sacrificed one of his long-sleeve shirts and a pair of his pajama pants. _At least the colors match_, he thought to himself as he laid them on the bed. He even replaced the battery in her cell phone that he had previously removed before returning to the truck.

Feet planted on the ground, sitting on the door runner, back nestled against the seat, Edward inspected the skeleton of the door frame, still trying to figure out how he had let Rosalie talk him into kidnapping Bella. He wasn't sure he could put everything back together the way it was supposed to go, but he could replace the pieces that would allow the door to be usable from the outside and inside. He didn't think it would be as easy to fix things with Bella.

_"Edward, you took the easy way. Now, look at the results. The fence line was destroyed because you didn't follow through the way I showed you. The posts need to be set two feet deep. You need a solid foundation, Edward; otherwise, you're just making more work for yourself."_

_"I'm sorry. I'll do it right next time."_

_"Next time?" Phil said as he lowered the tailgate of his truck. "Next time starts now." Reaching into the bed of the truck, Phil retrieved the post hole digger, a pickax, and a tamper used to compact the soil around the posts once they were set. Moving to the cab of the truck, he bagged a couple of sandwiches and several bottles of water from the cooler in the back seat._

_"See you tonight," Phil stated, dropping the bag next to the tools and returning to his truck, shutting the door once his tall frame was settled in the driver's seat. A smile spread wide on his face as he watched a shocked Edward through the rearview mirror._

_"That's gonna take a week...or better." Edward said mostly to himself. Phil had already left a trail of dust as he disappeared from sight._

**Making Do**

As Bella thought about Edward, she let the water from the shower cascade over and down her body until it ran cold. A cold shower is exactly what she needed to help clear her mind. Too bad it didn't give her better perspective of what was going on.

"Shit," Bella said, wrapped in a towel with a hand full of dirty cloths. "Edward, you don't have any of my clothes, do you?" she asked through the closed door. "Edward?" Silence. Peeking through a crack in the door, Bella didn't see Edward in the room. With no better option available, she rinsed her clothes out in the sink and hung them over the rod that held the shower curtain. Maybe she could just get into bed and wait for them to dry before he came back.

Dashing across the room, once her clothes were washed, wrung out, and hanging to dry, Bella was brought up short before she could pile herself under the blankets. Lying on the bed was a set fresh set of clothes and judging from the size and shape, they were Edward's, but they were better than being forced to stay under the covers while he slept above them for the night.

She could work with the shirt that fit more like a nightgown, but the pants...There was no way she'd be able to sleep in them. They where just too big. Yes, they'd work until bedtime as long as she held them up, but once it was time to go to sleep, they would be gone.

_"Bella, stand still while I finish pinning the hem," Renee snapped. A boy had finally asked her daughter to prom, and Bella had accepted. She didn't have the inclination or time to take Bella shopping for a proper prom dress. With some alterations, one of her old evening gowns would have to do. _

_"Mom, isn't the chest area still too big?" Bella asked, looking in the mirror. To her, it appeared as if she could fit four sets of boobs in the top and still have room to spare._

_"It will be fine, Bella Marie. We'll just have to pad your bra a little. You'll see," Renee answered without sparing her daughter a second glance. "Now, go take off the dress carefully and bring it back. I'll make the alterations, and you'll see. Sometimes, you have to make do with what you have, not what you want."_

_When Bella tried the dress on after the alterations, it did fit better, but there was still room in the bust area. Renee grabbed an old blazer from her closet and ripped out the shoulder pads. Hastily, she stuffed them into Bella's bra, ignoring the horrified look her daughter gave her._

_Once Bella got over the shock of being manhandled by her mother, she had to admit that the dress was beautiful and fit pretty well. She just wished she had more cleavage like her mom._

_"You're just a late bloomer, Bella," Renee told her. "Give it time. Your date won't know what hit him. You're beautiful."_

_Beautifull was not the word Bella would have used, though "different" would work._


	9. Chapter 8

**This Chapter was Beta'd by Team Edward Rules All and 4mejapser. Both encouraged and shared tips and tricks with me. They helped create a readable and hopefully enjoyable chapter. Believe it or not, I actually re-read the suggestions made before I start editing another chapter...**

**I thought you all might enjoy a special treat now that my other story, Focal Point, is complete. Me thinks this one should be labeled complete by next Friday! Enjoy, and please, feel free to pimp it out any any group you please, whether it be twitter/Facebook or whatever.**

* * *

**Home, Not Home, Home**

**Chapter 8**

**Torn**

"We should be back late tomorrow night or early the next morning, Alice," Edward said, when he checked in. Apparently, everything was fine, but there was something in Alice's voice suggested differently. "Are you and Jasper doing okay?" he asked, hoping that would keep her from asking him how things were really going now that Bella was with him.

"Oh, we can talk about that when you get back. How are things between you and Bella?" Alice replied, deflecting.

"Oh, we can talk about that when I get back," Edward countered.

"That good?" Alice asked, empathizing.

"Bad would be better than this, Alice. I don't know what I was thinking..." Edward drifted off thinking about the what if's. _What if he hadn't come looking for her? What if he had paid attention to his gut, which told him not to listen to Rosalie's scheme? Bella hated him!_ And he deserved it.

"Did you tell her that you love her?" Alice asked. Of course Alice would ask that question. Alice believed in the white knights on black steeds, love conquers all, and all the crap.

"Just tell her, Edward. We'll see you when you get back. I gotta go," Alice said, not waiting to say thank you or goodbye.

Edward's frustration level had peaked, and all he wanted to do was cry as his memories stirred.

_"What, you thought we could get married? And do what, Edward? Become the all American happy family? You're so naive. That would be all fine and dandy if I loved you, but I don't. I do love being with you. Hell, you've learned a lot since we started fooling around, but I don't want to get married or have this thing. I just want the money to take care of this."_

_"Take care of this? What does that even mean, LeAnne?" Edward asked. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to know what she meant. He was still reeling from the fact that she didn't love him._

_"What do you think it means, Edward? An abortion of course," LeAnne explained as if her plans were an everyday occurrence. _

_"But that's my baby too," Edward yelled. Couldn't she see that?_

_"The fetus is in my body, and I'm not ready for the consequences of letting it develop further."_

_"It's a baby! You can't even say it, can you? It's our baby, mine and yours. We created it together, both of us!"_

_"It doesn't matter, after tomorrow there won't be a fetus. With or without your help!" LeAnne yelled back. "There is no way I'm letting it, or you, destroy my life."_

_That was the last time Edward saw LeAnne. When she stormed out the front door, LeAnne ripped a future of having a family again away, as if it were nothing. But it wasn't nothing. _

_For the next several months, Edward drowned himself in the bottle, rarely taking a sober breath. His grades had slipped as a result, and it wasn't until his friend Peter confronted him, that he realized he was destroying his own life because of someone else's decision. He couldn't afford to let anyone __get__ that close again, ever._

**Stupid Boys**

Holding the pants up around her waist, Bella looked out the window. She was starting to get nervous that Edward had yet to return. Was he coming back? Had he left her there?

Noticing that the truck was still there, she sighed with relief. _Maybe he just went across the street to get them something to eat,_ she thought, until he stood up and slammed the passenger door and threw a bag into the back of the truck. Was he leaving her now?

She watched as the breeze blew his chestnut hair around. He really needed a haircut, she noticed. She hadn't seen Edward without his hat often. She never could decide which way she liked him better, because he always looked so good donning his white stetson.

_Somehow, it felt familiar_, she thought as she spied it on the dashboard of the truck.

Deep down, Bella wanted to call out his name, and ask him to come inside, but she was scared. Why did it seem there was something more connecting her and Edward? Why did they always seem to rub each other the wrong way or at the wrong time? Why did it seem they were on opposite sides of a see-saw? The questions gave her another headache.

_"Uncle Phil, can I ask you a question?" a fourteen year old-Bella asked as she set the sandwich she had made in front of her uncle._

_"Sure," he answered wondering what had gotten to the little girl and had her looking so contemplative._

_"Mom says boys don't like smart girls, and that they only want one thing. Do you think she's right? That boys don't like smart girls?"_

_"Wow... um...No... not completely anyway. Boys like smart girls. They just don't know how to deal with girls that have their own minds. Unfortunately boys don't grow up as fast as girls and up to a certain age or level of maturity, yes, boys only want one thing. Can I ask where these questions came from?"_

_"Yesterday, when I went to town with Jenny McCarty, her brother and some of his friends were there. One of the boys wearing a red baseball cap asked Jenny if I was her new boyfriend, and then they started making fun of me. I know it wasn't right, and Jenny was pretty upset about it, but I told him if he didn't know the difference between a girl and a boy, then Jenny would be better off with me as a boyfriend than him. And then I flipped them off and dragged Jenny across the street. I just... never mind," Bella finished as she poured herself a glass of milk._

_"You just what, Bella?" Phil prodded. He watched the girl's shoulders slump and she quietly returned to the table and sat. Her big brown eyes glistened as she looked up at him._

_"Do I really look like a boy? Is there something wrong with me? Why can't boys just be nice? I don't understand..." Bella didn't tell Uncle Phil about the other boys that had teased her and called her a lesbian before she punched one of them in the nose. She didn't tell him about the boys pulling Jenny's hair, or the one that hit and knocked her to the ground._

_"Now you come here and let me answer some of those questions," Phil said, pulling an upset Bella into his lap. "Only a stupid teenage boy would say stuff like that. And if a boy even considers that you look like a boy, he definitely needs to have his eyes examined. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You are a beautiful young girl and in a few years I'm going to need to invest in cattle prods to keep the boys away from the ranch when you come out. I bet you next summer, the boy that said those mean things to you will be singing a different tune. I'd bet the ranch on it," he told her._

_After a few minutes of not knowing what to do with a sobbing teenage girl, Phil coaxed her from his lap. "Let's go check on Charlie."_

**Mask**

Hungry and tired, Edward realized they hadn't stopped to eat since the night before. Looking across the street, he noticed a small pizza place and made his way in that direction. A few hundred meters past the glass door, he looked back, hoping that Bella wouldn't try to run because he was to far away to stop her.

Twenty minutes later, after ordering a pepperoni pizza and a two liter bottle of Mountain Dew, Edward crossed the street again, relieved that the truck was still parked in front of the hotel room. But the same question nagged at him until he reached the door and it opened, allowing him to enter. _No, Bella had not run_.

"Hungry?" he questioned, taking in the sight of her. Her hair was still damp, cascading down her back. His too big shirt was tied in a knot at her waist. His pants hung in layers around her ankles, threatening to swallow her feet as she held them up. The gleam of a smile lightened his eyes, but he kept his mask in place.

_A sixteen year old Edward stood on the grass alone, a few feet from where his parents had been laid to rest months before. The man he called Uncle Phil had brought him just so he might feel closer to them. His heart ached, and he missed them more than he was willing to share, so he hid behind an unreadable mask._

_He shared how rough the summer had been without them, and how much he missed them. At the end of his monologue an hour later, he __told them he would be strong and learn to carry on, and how much easier things were with Phil. Phil didn't question him constantly, and let him be the one to cross bridges and talk, very unlike the grief counselor the courts had ordered. He also told his father that he wished he had known him back in the day because Phil had told him some great stories._

**You Think I Hate You**

"Yes, starving actually," Bella answered quickly. "God, I hope that's pepperoni," she said pulling the chair closer to the small table. Edward set everything down, and Bella had a piece of pizza already bitten into before he even had time to separate the plastic cups and pour them something to drink. The cheese stretched to a thin line as she closed her eyes and pulled the pizza away, moaning at the flavor.

Edward swallowed thickly. _No one should be that hungry._

"Sorry, I should have thought of it earlier," he explained before plating himself a slice and passing her a cup of Mountain Dew.

"It's fine. Definitely worth the wait!" she exclaimed taking another bit. She almost choked when Edward moaned, sinking his teeth in taking his first taste.

"Definitely."

The box was empty and so was the bottle of soda when Bella's eyes finally started closing. She was warm, full, and tired. The lure of the bed, next to Edward, called to her as she slid beneath the blankets.

Edward felt the mattress give to Bella's weight and he knew it was time for him to go, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. What Edward wanted to do was tell Bella he loved her. Begrudgingly, he pulled himself to a sitting position and prepared himself to stand.

"Where are you going?" Bella asked, sleepily.

"To the truck. I think it's for the best," he said, not really wanting to leave.

"Do you hate me so much that you would rather spend the night in the back of the truck, than in a bed?" Bella asked, still laying on her side but no longer tired. Did she really want an answer?

"You think I hate you?"

_"Edward!" his dad yelled as he came home from Jasper's. "What did you do to Emmett's little sister, Jenny, today?" Edward Senior was angry; beyond angry in fact, he was livid. His veins pulsed at his temples and his skin was toned with red. "And don't you dare lie to me about it!"_

_"We were just teasing, Dad. We didn't mean no harm?"_

_"I just got a call from Jenny's mom. The little girl went home in tears because of some teasing you boys started. In fact, it didn't end there. The Jones's boys heard you all teasing her and started calling them lesbians after you, Emmett, and Jasper, drove off. And the little girl that was with Jenny ran all the way home humiliated after punching Andrew in the nose. And Jenny wants to know why you all hate her? She doesn't know what she did to you for you to be so mean to her._

_"Emmett started it. We were just teasing Dad. It didn't mean anything."_

_"Well for something that didn't mean anything, it's going to cost you big, son!" And for the rest of the summer, Edward took Jenny into town Saturday for ice cream. Her friend never joined them._

**Easy?**

"Well, don't you?" Bella accused. She lay still, filled with fear and waited for his answer.

She knew if his answer was yes, it would break her completely, but being broken wasn't the worse thing that could happen to her. Continuing to live on this roller coaster of ups and downs with no way off was the worst thing that could happen. She couldn't live this way anymore. The last few months had stolen almost all of who she was away.

Bella stared at the wall, counting, until she felt the bed shift as Edward's weight settled behind her. Risking a quick glance, she saw him sitting with his back facing her. How she wished she could see his face.

"Hating _you..._would be easy," Edward stated. "This... this isn't easy."

_"Mom, what is love?" Bella asked. She and her mom were at the mall shopping for clothes. Bella had grown over the summer while she was away. _

_Renee was usually curt with her daughter but this question about what is love, caused her eyes to soften. Bella was growing too__quick. Soon, she would fall in love and leave. The thought twisted a knife in Renee's heart. She wasn't ready to let go of her baby girl, but ready or not, her little girl wasn't a baby anymore._

_Renee also knew that her own bitterness had kept her from being the mother she had always wanted to be. So, in a moment of weakness she answered her daughters question the best way she could._

_"Love is many things, but not easy. It's the distance between the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. It has its high moments and low. It can break you in a second and then heal every hurt. It's a kind touch when the world is falling apart. It will test your sanity until you think you're insane. It will put others first and always leave you for last. Love is what makes this life possible."_

_"That doesn't make since, Mom," Bella replied. It may not have made sense, but Bella took in every word and let it tug at the back of her mind._

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_**I hope everyone found Edward's actions redeemable. Read, Review, and Re-share!**_


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N Just to clear up a little confusion from the last chapter, LeAnen is the woman Edward dated while he was in college and Jenny is Emmett's little sister who is away at collage being younger then Edward, and no, neither E or B remember meeting the other. They only met the one time.**

**This chapter was Beta'd by Michelle and ZanessaGaily from Project Team Beta. They stepped up and went the extra mile with me. Thank you PTB for having such awesome Betas.**

**This chapter had me worried that I would have to change the rating. Thank you Michelle for feeling I shouldn't change the rating yet. If anyone knows of a technical reason I should change it to M, please pm me.**

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**Home, Not Home, Home**

**Chapter 9**

**Want**

The room was quiet as Edward stalled for time before he spoke. He wasn't sure he could explain without breaking them both, but it wasn't words that broke him as he stole a glance at Bella trying to gain steam to say what he needed too. What broke him was the shiny trail of moisture that trailed across her cheeks, silent tears. It broke him as if he were a horse whose spirit was laid too waste by a cruel owner.

"Bella, I love you," he whispered, though in the quiet room sounded more like a shout. "I think I have since the day I met you at the cafe, and I don't know how to stop."

Desperation gave way to hope. The world as they knew it could change in a moment with one word. Was it too much to ask that he held feelings for her the same way she held feelings for him?

Warning sirens screamed at her to stop, let it go, and don't ask any more questions, but her world was too close to shattering to listen. This was her chance to get off the roller coaster no matter the cost.

"Would loving me be that awful? You love me...but you don't want to?" Bella asked.

Edward's world was spinning as he spoke the words. There was no going back now and from the look of tears in Bella's eyes, there was no stopping, only hoping...hope that she felt the same.

"I want to...if you want me to, or we could-"

Bella didn't let him finish his sentence. Whatever it was that Edward was thinking was impossible. His words had already given her strength to move forward. She wasn't wasting another day wondering what could be. In that moment, she let her heart speak instead of her head as she made her move.

Trapping his green eyes with her brown ones, she knotted her fingers in his hair at the nap of his neck. Bella's heart beat at an excited pace. The time for indecision long gone, she pulled Edward's face closer to hers.

"I want you," she whispered, just as her lips reached his.

The first kiss was filled with doubt and uncertainty, then shock and longing, and finally fear and relief. It was slow and gentle as her body shook. His hands were strong and rough as he embraced the frame of her face, sliding his fingers through tendrils of chestnut hair.

The second kiss overflowed with passion and promises, tongues and teeth, a rawness that only the pressure of their lips could distinguish.

"Bella," he spoke quietly as he pulled her closer, begging her to look at him.

"If you're going to break my heart...break it tomorrow," she whispered, causing him to still.

His thumbs skated the surface of her cheeks until she opened her eyes. Their breathing was erratic, laboring to take in precious air. Indecision broke away as Edward rolled her with awkward movements as he lay back on the bed and she straddled above looking down.

She submit to the gentle wanderings of his hands as he lifted his shirt from her body exposing her breast and arms, soft brown hair her only cover. Her body buzzed with an electrical pulse as his hardened hands caressed the softness of her skin. His touch did things too, created emotions that she had never experienced with Tyler. His touch encouraged and strengthened her as she pressed her fingers against his toned abdomen exploring below the surface of his shirt until he struggled to rid his of the fabric that separated their heated skin.

Overwhelming need consumed them like a fire burning out of control until they lay, spent in a pile of ashes with no barriers between them. Sweat, sweetness, and spice scented the air around them.

In the early morning hours with Bella wrapped securely in his arms, with trembling lips he whispered I love you's into her skin as if the truth would heal them, resurrecting what he thought was dead leaving him whole.

It had been so long since he had said those words to anyone.

**Good Morning**

Light was starting to streak through the window giving the room a warm glow. A glow that reflected the emotions of the couple spooned together in the bed. Edward's hand still roamed the softness of Bella's sleeping form. He had been unable to stop once he had started. The exhaustion he would feel for the last leg of their journey would be worth the sleepless night as long as it wasn't a dream.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Edward murmured as Bella stirred, started to wake.

"Coffee, lots and lots of coffee, please," Bella mumbled, causing Edward to chuckle.

Before Edward could drag himself from the bed and Bella, his cell phone buzzed from somewhere on the floor.

"Don't answer that," Bella ordered. She wasn't ready to let go of him and the intimate bubble they were in.

Edward did as he was told, and more as Bella whimpered and moaned while he left a trail of kisses across her shoulder and down her arm. He would have continued forever if the buzzing from the floor would stop.

"I'm sorry, Bella, but I'm sure it's Alice. And she won't quit until I answer," Edward apologized.

"Tell Alice, she has shitty timing," she cursed.

"What?" Edward asked, as he placed the phone next to his ear. Bella could only imagine the conversation as she listened to Edward.

"Only because my phone wouldn't stop ringing."

"A fax?"

"It's possible...if we leave," Edward said, checking his watch. "Right now." Bella didn't know what was said, but she could hear her friends excited squeals from where she lay.

"Alice," Edward warned. But it was too late, Alice had already hung up.

"We have to leave, don't we?" Bella asked when Edward heaved a frustrated sigh.

Edward moved around her as he lay back down and pulled her body to his. He could tell she wasn't ready to move from the tone of her voice. He didn't want to go either, but he knew he had to have her back. Her two years were almost up.

"I'm afraid so," he whispered in her ear. "Plus, we need to talk-"

"I don't want to. We can talk here."

"No, we can't because you're too much of a distraction. I'll go get us something to drink, while you get ready," Edward said just before he smacked her on the ass causing her to growl. Edward crawled out from under the covers and dressed quickly. If he didn't get away from her he'd let her down, and that thought didn't settle well with him.

**Last Leg**

A half an hour later, Edward was leading Bella out of the hotel room and to the truck. She had showered and dressed while he had fetched them coffee. Still not ready for face the last leg of their journey, Bella tried once more to convince Edward they could still make it if they waited another hour.

"Bella, please don't make me throw you over my shoulder again," he said teasingly.

"You wouldn't," she declared as she back away from him headed for the truck. Edward waged his brows and a mischievous glint filled his eyes as he playfully stalked her.

"Okay, okay, I'll behave," she squealed, running to the passenger side of the truck waiting for Edward to open it. But Edward didn't open. Instead, he trapped her between himself and the truck and stared down at her with hooded eyes. Today he was filled with hope, not dread.

"I thought you said we had to leave," she said in a husky voice. The things she had felt under his touch where things she had never felt before last night; things she still felt.

"We do...but we won't get far if we don't do something about how distracting that shirt is."

He felt her body shiver in response to his touch as he fumbled trying to button the top button. Edward quickly stepped back and opened the door as Bella slid across and nestled herself into her seat. Edward closed the door and shook the lust filled haze from his thoughts. Now was not the time.

Edward stopped and gassed up the truck before hitting the freeway that would take them home. They'd be home in less than twelve hours, but those hours would be long. After closing his own door, Edward handed Bella a bottle of water.

"What?" he asked, noticing her eyes filled with emotion staring back at him.

"You...you fixed the door; and the radio," she stuttered out.

"I didn't want you feeling like a caged animal. I'm sorry, Bella. I never should have done that or listened to your friend Rosalie, for that matter," Edward started. The air thickened to a heavy weight on Edward's shoulders as he put the truck into gear and headed for the interstate.

"Why would Rosalie think, or even suggest, doing that to your truck," Bella asked, staring again at the now fixed door once they were on the highway.

"To keep you from running away, at least, until you calmed down and weren't so angry. It was stupid. I didn't know what else to do," Edward admitted. He almost caused a wreck swerving when Bella started laughing almost hysterically.

"What's so funny?" he asked, brows drawn.

"Awe, Rosie, you know me too well," Bella spoke out between bursts of laughter.

"Does she now?" Edward asked once Bella had settled down.

"I was going to run for help the night you helped those bikers. But that James guy trapped me in the bathroom before I could."

Edward chuckled to himself, and it was Bella's turn to ask what.

_"If everything goes the way it should, at some point Bella's going to try and run, and you need to be ready when she does"_

_"And then what?"_

_"Then you're going to catch her and kiss her. If you're lucky and she loves you, she's going to kiss you back."_

_"Oh lord, you sound like some Hollywood chick-flick. That's never going to work."_

_"Women love chick-flicks for a reason, Cowboy. I'm telling you!"_

**Questions and Answers**

The radio played low, a soft background while Bella thought about Edward's explanation while she watched the landscape passed by as she looked out the window in silent contemplation. Would she really have crumbled at such a jester?. Of course she would. She was a sucker like that, she always had been. A soft smile crossed her lips.

"Bella, can I ask a question?" Edward didn't know what was going through that mind of hers. At her hummed answer, he drew in a deep breath. "Why did you leave? You never did give me an answer."

"That's kind of hard to answer. Basically...I thought you hated me and you were trying to set me up to fail, and I needed you...someone to believe in me."

"I'm sorry. I was just protecting myself. I never meant to make you feel less than." Edward went on to explain about LeAnn and how hurt he had been. How he had tried to drink himself into oblivion, grief stricken over the child he would never know.

"So when you came back, you really didn't know Uncle Phil passed away?"

"No, I didn't. Emmett told me after you left. That must have made me look like a real monster."

"God, I was so mad at you. I had so many people waiting for me to fail, and I was so insecure about what I was trying to do, then you walked in there, running your mouth..."

"You were pretty sexy all riled up like you were." Edward said chuckling. He thought back about all the times he'd goaded her into losing her temper. He laughed harder as Bella stared at him slack-jawed.

"Yes, I loved getting you all riled up," Edward said blushing

This was how their conversation went until Bella yawned and her eyes drooped. Edward crumpled up his jacket and set it next to him motioning for Bella to lay and sleep. Turning up the radio, Edward concentrated on the road ahead of them. He wanted to live in the now, not the past.

**Laughing Like a Little Kid**

"Bella...Bella, it's time to wake up and get something to eat," Edward said, as he pulled into a truck stop and parked a few hours later. He would have continued to drive and listen to music as he played with her hair, but he knew they needed to eat. A satisfied grin was welded in place as he listened to the girl groan and her eyes blinked as she stirred.

He caused Bella to laugh when he reached for her hand as they crossed the parking lot heading towards the restaurant. It was a sound he wanted to hear more off so he pulled her behind him and offered her a piggy back ride.

"Edward-" she started and laughed as he squatted.

"I'm all in if you are, Chicken," he challenged, cutting her off before she jumped on his back accepting his challenge. Edward didn't let her walk on her own until the hostess inside the restaurant smiled.

"Two I take it?" the woman asked even as she retrieved the desired amount of menu's and led them to a both overlooking the parking lot.

Edward waited for Bella to slide into the booth and then forced her to move over further as he slid in next to her. He pulled down the front of his Stetson eyeing her reaction when she giggled, rolling her head back and forth at his antics.

"You know-" and "So.." they both started at the same causing Edward to join Bella's laughter.

"You know...without kissing someone, laughing and giggling like that could really hurt a man's ego," Edward said leaving no time for awkward silence.

"If it's a kiss you want," she replied. "Then it's a kiss you shall receive," she finished as she moved his hat and met him half way.

After a not so quick kiss Bella pulled away flushed, confused why she felt more like a teenage girl on a first date than a full grown woman.

Their meal was filled with flushed glances, teasing grins, and light touches, but nothing too outrageous to make others feel uncomfortable, until it was time to pay the bill and leave.

"So," Bella started, once they had reached the highway. "What does the last forty-eight hours mean?"

"It means I'm yours, all yours, if you want me. Girlfriend really doesn't sound right because we're not teenagers anymore, even if that's how I feel at the moment. I hope we are, and will be, more than that," Edward answered honestly.

"You want to be my boyfriend, Cowboy?" Bella asked. She looked at Edward like he had grown a second head as he threw his head back and laughed like a little kid.

"Yes!"

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	11. Chapter 10

**A/N My humble thanks to sniperocker and ElleCC who managed to wade through all my typos, errors, and...(you get the picture.) The fact that I had really worked on editing this chapter didn't show, and I feel horrible about that. They rocked this chapter back into shape.**

**Nimwit is a slang word and can be found in the urban dictionary. Our family uses it all the time instead of dimwit. They're about the same... at least in my book.**

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**Home, Not Home, Home**

**Chapter 10**

**Welcome Home**

The rest of the afternoon and evening were spent listening to music and their conversations were about lighter topics as they got closer to home. Edward hadn't exaggerated when he said it would be a push to reach the ranch by ten that night.

As they rolled through town, Edward yawned, struggling with fatigue, and Bella wasn't far behind. Main Street was deserted, businesses closed for the night. Everyone was home, asleep, and soon the weary travelers would be in the same condition.

"I can drive from here, Edward, if you want to take a short nap?" Bella offered.

"If I go to sleep now, you'll never get me out of the truck. I'm fine until we get home," he said.

_Home!_

"Home," Bella whispered. "Home. I've always thought of the ranch as home, even when I thought it wasn't." She didn't need Edward to answer or question because it was a statement of fact. She missed her Uncle Phil.

"What the..." Bella said as they crested the last hill of their journey and the house came into view. All the lights of the house were on, and several cars Bella and Edward recognized were parked haphazardly near the front door.

"Who the hell is coming out here this late at night?" Edward questioned, looking in the rear view mirror. Bella looked back through the rear window and saw head lights from an indiscernible vehicle.

Once they were parked and started climbing out of the truck, they were blinded, bathed in lights as the vehicle came to rest behind the truck, and then their eyes had to adjust again when the lights turned off. They could hear the Vehicle's door open and close followed by footsteps stomping closer.

"Well, it's about fucking time," Emmett's voice bellowed from the darkness. Edward laughed, and Bella dropped her hand from her eyes and smiled a wide smile. She was engulfed by his huge arms as he hugged her tightly.

"Emmett, c-c-can't b-br-breathe," Bella expressed as she pryed herself from her friend's crushing hug.

"What the hell is going on, Emmett?" Edward asked, looking around at the cars around the house.

Alice, Jasper, and a few other friends piled out the front door in a flurry of conversation, pushing Bella and Edward toward the house.

"We have much to discuss, Isabella Swan-Dwyer," Jasper said as he stepped through the front door behind Bella.

**Shock**

Edward and Bella sat stunned in the living room, staring blankly at the snow-filled TV screen. What they had just watched, neither had suspected, or expected.

"Bella, I know that what you just watched is... overwhelming, but I need to know. Are you going to stay and take over the ranch...or are you going to move on to something else?" Jasper asked. "You only have a few minutes to decide. These papers have to be signed by midnight." Jasper looked at his watch. Five minutes was all she was left to make a decision.

"Staying," she mumbled, still overwhelmed, as she forced her eyes from the TV to face Jasper. Though he seemed to know everyone else, Bella only knew him in a pressional capacity—the bank employee representing Phil Dwyer's estate. Being all business, Jasper passed her the legal documents encased in a black leather binder, which she quickly signed as he pointed out each place that needed her signature.

"I wondered...but I wasn't sure." Edward hummed, pushing back and removing his Stetson. He stared at the hat for a long, long, time. "Did you know that Phil gave me this Stetson...It's the one he wore until he put it on my head."

"I thought it looked familiar, but white Stetson cowboy hats are not uncommon here in Colorado," Bella commented.

"Well, that about does it for paperwork and legal documents. Now, it's just a matter of time before everything settles out," Jasper said, closing the binder and placing it in his briefcase. "I'll see you in a week's time, folks."

"He planned it all... every bit of it, didn't he, Jasper?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, he did. Phil had a plan for everything."

Jasper hugged Alice and told her he would be back, and this time only death could keep him away. He hoped she was ready for what was to come next.

"So, when is the wedding?" Emmett asked, barging into the room. His arms were laden with beers.

**Proposal**

Everyone laughed, accepting the offered beers.

"In a week?" Jasper asked, looking at Alice who nodded in agreement.

"Bella?" Edward questioned at the same time.

"Hell, why not, Edward," Bella said almost hysterically. "We definitely have history. We could even make it a two for one," she added, pointing to her friend Alice.

It was well past midnight when everyone cleared out and headed home, leaving Bella and Edward, still stunned, sitting on the coach.

"Are you okay, Bella?" Edward asked. His mind was racing trying to process all the new information he had.

"I think so," Bella answered. "But a million dollars, Edward?"

"But that's not why you said yes, is it?" Edward asked nervously. "I know this isn't how a man is supposed to propose... I hadn't even thought that far ahead yet."

"No..." Bella spoke quietly, dragging out the "_o"_. "But my father, Phil, did," she added and then started laughing.

"What's so funny?" he asked, looking at Bella, confused.

"My uncle isn't my uncle... but my father... and my father planned out a life he wasn't even sure I wanted. Everyone knew, except me. It all makes perfect sense, looking back. Mom not wanting me to come out here but sending me anyway. Why Sam was always tense when I left and came home... Why my mom hated him so much. Why I never felt like I belonged..." Bella rambled, and then she started to cry.

"I never really got to know him... not as my father, anyway," Bella said, muffling her cries and drying her tears. "And all he ever wanted was to love me and call me his daughter, but he never got the chance."

"I wondered why he always called me son," Edward said. "I guess son-in-law will have to do."

"Yes, it will. How does Edward Cullen-Dwyer sound... for the sake of the ranch and all," she said, trying to lessen the blow, but she wanted both names.

"A name I would be proud to accept."

**Message**

_Bella, Edward, and a small group of friends sat in the living room while Jasper turned on the TV and pushed a tape into the VCR._

_"Bella," Jasper started. "Tonight will probably be the last time I act as a representative of the bank, mediator for Phil's lawyers, __or_ _his will. Once everything is settled, I'm moving back here to Georgetown." Then Jasper pushed play and stepped out of the way. _

_Snow filled the screen and then cleared, revealing a much older-looking Phil than Bella remembered. It was obvious he was sick. His skin lacked its usual reddish-brown color from being outdoors. His cheeks were sunken from weight loss, and though his eyes were still a piercing blue, they lacked that sparkle Bella and Edward were used to. When he started to speak, his words were slower, strained, but still had a touch of humor to them._

_"Hi, Bella. This isn't... wasn't the way I wanted you to find out about being my daughter. I always hoped I'd have time to tell you in person once you were of legal age. Guess things didn't work out quite the way I planned." Phil looked down at something in his hands before continuing. "You've grown into such a beautiful woman. I see so much of your mother with just a splash of me." He lifted and displayed a photo taken of Bella as she graduated college. "I couldn't attend in person, but a friend of mine owed me a favor. I hope you don't mind." Tears trickled down Bella's cheeks as she shook her head even though Phil couldn't see her._

_"You probably think I'm not very smart with how I handled my finances, but I assure you, I have my reasons. I don't know if you're still with that nimwit Tyler... I hope not. Tyler, if you're sitting in the room, I can't stand your sleazy, cheating ass, and you will have no part of my daughter's inheritance because you don't deserve my beautiful daughter."_

_Bella watched as Phil took a few cleansing breaths before continuing. She could hear the venom in his voice. How did Phil know Tyler, or the kind of man he was? She watched as he wiped his forehead with a cloth before moving on._

"_Actually, things aren't as bad as they probably look. There's more than enough money to do whatever you might want to do with the ranch. With the help of my lawyers, the mediator, and the bank, I cooked the books to make things look bad. And no, it wasn't a test. I know this all sounds really confusing-" A deep cough cut Phil's narration off. The video paused, and Jasper stepped in front of the screen._

_"Bella, are you still dating Tyler?" Jasper asked, holding the now found remote. When Bella shook her head, Jasper continued. "Do you have a boyfriend?" Bella nodded this time, looking at Edward._

_"I knew it! I knew it. I told you so, Jasper," Alice shouted excitedly. Jasper grinned and shook his head. He stepped next to Alice and pushed play on the remote without another word, and Phil's voice filled the room again._

_"Sorry for my outburst. I'm sorry for so many things when it comes to you, Bella, I don't even know where to start. With the limited time I have, I have to plan the best I can. I hope there is a different man in your life... A certain young man in fact, but that's up to the two of you. The reason I placed a two-year time frame is because I wanted you and him to have the opportunity to get to know each other. This warning probably comes a little late, but he's stubborn and strong-willed to the core, but he's also loyal, without fault. But most importantly, he's the only man that I can give my blessing to. Edward, if you're listening to this, I want you to know I am so proud of you. I think of you as the son I never had. That's a compliment and you know it. I hope you take care of my girl, no matter what." Again Phil started to cough._

_"Phil, you need to try and wrap this up. I know you have a lot you want to say but-" a familiar voice said from behind the scenes._

_"Anyway, if my daughter takes over the ranch, I want her name placed on the title and the appropriate papers filed. If she decides to return to New York, or has other plans, I want Edward Cullen's name placed on the papers as a shared property. I am also leaving five hundred thousand dollars to each of you. Bella, Edward, I know the money or the land doesn't make up for what you two have gone through in your short lives, but I do hope that it helps create a life you will be proud to live." Phil finished, and the screen went blank._

_A tearful Bella and a silent Edward looked at their friend Emmett, who bowed his head._

_"I promised him," was all Emmett was prepared to say at the time._

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**_Read, Review, and Re-share!_**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Wow! I much say, seeing almost 10k views to my stories over the last three days makes me feel amazing. So, I thought this would be a great way to start the week. The Epilogue and now completed fic. Hope you all enjoy it. See you all later, I'm off to work at 4 am. Oh yeah, don't worry everyone, Edward and Bella dropped James' bike off an hour later. He's not a bad guy in this story... But I loved your reactions to just hearing his name... hehehehe**

**This chapter was beta'd by ****Claireybeary12 and ZanessaGaily of PTB who agree'd that this was a good ending for the story.**

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**Home, Not Home, Home**

**Chapter 11**

**Expected Guests**

The following week was a flurry of activity preparing for the weddings. Quickly highlighted by the unexpected arrival of one Rosalie Hale driving Bella's car, which caught the immediate attention of one Emmett McCarty as she had drove through town.

"Rose? Oh my God, Rose!" Bella squealed, rushing from the house and embracing Rosalie, who had barely escaped the car before being run down by her best friend.

"Thought you might need your car," Rose explained as she embraced Bella, still hugging the ever-living shit out of her. "Hi, Cowboy," she said, noticing Edward standing on the porch, grinning.

"'bout time you showed up," Edward teased before heading back into the house to make a phone call, while Bella got Rosalie settled into one of the guest rooms.

Two days later, an overnight trip to Denver provided both sets of brides and grooms, plus the wedding party, with apparel worthy of the occasion, and an impromptu celebration.

Back at the ranch, the community pulled together lavish, yet simple decorations to prepare the outdoor venue for the wedding. The event promised to become part of the local history. Someone even managed to get pictures of Esme Johnson and Old Man Carlisle fighting about where to place the gazebo he'd built. Esme won, much to Old Man Carlisle's displeasure.

**Dearly Beloved**

With everything that happened during the week, Edward and Emmett hadn't had a moment to breathe or chat. Edward knew it was only a matter of time before Emmett would corner him, and corner him he did. The men were in the bunkhouse, putting on their Tuxedo's or Sunday best, while the women were in the main house. Edward felt like it had been an eternity since he'd spent any time alone with Bella. They had been so busy since their return. So what if they had continued to sleep in the same bed, they were too exhausted to do anything other than sleep.

"So, Edward," Emmett began, nervously fidgeting with his tie. "That Rosalie...sure is some kind of woman-"

Edward knew what was coming as he barked out a laugh. He knew his friend well, and knew damn well Emmett had noticed Rosalie. But there was something different in the way Emmett stood and sounded. He wasn't the same man he had been in high school. Edward may have been away to college, but he knew Emmett hadn't had a serious relationship in quite some time.

"Emmett," Edward said, looking at his friend through the mirror. "I'm only going to say this once. Rosalie isn't some challenge to conquer. If that's all you're interested in, please, leave her be. She's been through enough. Now, if you're sincerely interested... I'll give you some advice and the rest is up to you. Go slow, and for God sake don't let her know you're a cop." Emmett cocked his eyebrow and Edward smothered a laugh.

Emmett stood to the back of the gazebo dressed in his Sunday suit looking at half the town that was seated and patiently waiting for the ceremony to begin. He knew the town missed Phil Dwyer but seeing half the town seated and patiently waiting stirred some deep emotions for him.

Phil had been a mentor to many of the young men from town, and a father, or son, figure to the women as well. Knowing the folks of Georgetown, Colorado the way he did, he wasn't surprised so many had turned out to help the young couples that were about to married in the sight of God. Phil had been a rock within the community.

A momentary burst of panic hit Emmett once Edward and Jasper were in place and Mrs. Esme Johnson started the music. Clair De Lune began to play. But it was quickly brushed aside as he reminded himself; _I'm not the one getting married_.

He watched as Jessica and Mike's daughter walked down the carpet releasing petals of wild flowers in her wake, emptying the last of her basket on the gazebo steps. Ben and Angela's son was next, carrying a heart shaped pillow with two rings tied in the center. Emmett directed the serious faced little boy to stand next to him. But what took his breath away, was the woman with a black streak of hair nestled within blond curls. He even repeated his mantra as he watched her slow approach. _I'm not the one getting married, damn._

When the music changed to The Wedding March, Emmett grinned as Peter, Alice's father, walked her down the aisle and stood just to the side of the bottom step. He could see the Jasper, and worried if he was still breathing as he took Alice's hand.

Old Man Carlisle stepped up and escorted Bella down the aisle next and Emmett chuckled at the choking sounds his best friend was making. Peeking from the corner of his eye, he wondered if those were the same sounds he had made as Rosalie Hale had approached just moments before.

"Dear friends and family of Georgetown, we are gathered here together in the sight of God..." Emmett rambled off the memorized lines, holding back at the appropriate times as the father's turned the brides over to the grooms, or when his questions were given the answering I do's.

"Grooms, you may now kiss the brides. Brides don't let your husbands embarrass you in public with actions that should remain behind closed doors."

The witnesses all giggled as brides and grooms turned various shades of pink, kissing.

**Settling In**

Had it already been a week since the wedding, Bella mused. Plans for a honeymoon were put off until the end of the season.

While Bella had been away and Edward tracked her, Alice and Jasper had booked almost every weekend for the rest of the summer for the ranch.

When Bella looked at the full itinerary, she couldn't believe her own eyes. Companies and families from around the country had been drawn to a simple weekend away building stronger bonds though hard work; without standard luxuries.

"So, Mrs. Cullen-Dwyer, what do you think?" her husband, Edward, asked from the open door.

"It is more than I even thought possible. I'm so ashamed that I ran and missed the first weekend," Bella replied. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me, you did the hard part. I just got to pick on those unsuspecting people every weekend," Edward corrected moving further into the bedroom. "On second thought, thank me, but not with words." And for a time, those were the last discernible words spoken behind closed doors.

"Edward," Bella whispered. "Are you awake?"

Edward hummed his response, nestling closer to the sheet covered, naked beauty that lay next to him as he wrapped her in a protective cocoon of arms and legs.

"Rose asked me if it was okay that she stayed here for a while." It was a statement, laced with an underlying question. Edward understood.

"For as long as she wants," Edward drew out as he placed lavishing kisses on her heating skin.

"I can't believe she showed up when, and the way, she did. But you already knew, didn't you?" she questioned, moaning when Edward slid along the length of her ear, pushing her hair back.

"I suspected," he whispered into her ear before allowing his tongue to follow the path his nose had fashioned. "And I think we have plenty of time to discuss Rosalie, later."

"Later," Bella replied breathlessly. "Much later."

"Morning," Bella said, beaming at her friend as she entered the kitchen hours later.

"Uh hum, a good morning indeed," Rosalie teased, looking at a very rumpled looking Bella. "I'm sure it is."

Bella laughed and moved closer to the coffee pot needing a morning dose of caffeine.

"Awe, Edward, put a shirt on. I don't need to see you two love birds running around naked all hours of the day and night," Rosalie grumbled.

Edward laughed, kissing his wife on the forehead as she passed him his cup of coffee. "Thanks."

"So, what's the plan for today?" Rose asked as the couple took a seat at the kitchen table.

"That depends on whether you want to take a drive or not," Edward commented before Bella had a chance.

"Alright, Cowboy, I'll bite. What do you have in mind?"  
Edward shook his head, giving nothing away. "Yes, or no?"

With a raised brow, Rosalie answered. "Sure, Cowboy, sure." Bella laughed hole-heartedly at their banter. Rosalie wasn't one to warm up so quickly to strangers.

Within an hour, much to Bella's disbelief, Edward, Rosalie, and Jasper were in the truck, driving toward town. And she was left with an overly excited Alice who was bent on dishing what had transpired in her absence.

**Story Time**

"Bella, what happened? I want all the details from the moment you left, to when you came back home," Alice spoke excitedly. She and Bella hadn't really had a chance to talk of anything other than wedding plans since the night of Bella and Edward's return.

Bella shared how lost she felt and how she wanted to come home only a short few hours later but couldn't bring herself to turn the car around. The next thing she knew was arriving back in New York, she didn't even remember the drive there. She told Alice about all the times she stood across the street, trying to get up the nerve to go see her best friend and how scared she was when she got the call from Rosalie.

"The story is much more interesting from my perspective," Rosalie said from the doorway. "But I've known Bella for a very long time."

"When did you get back?" Bella questioned once Alice stopped laughing after being scared witless.

"About ten minutes ago," Rosalie replied.

"I still can't believe you set me up," Bella exclaimed, and Rosalie laughed. Throughout Rosalie's story, Alice and Bella sat wide-eyed and captivated. The story about her and Edward's meeting was definitely more interesting.

"It worked, didn't it?" Bella could only nod in reply. She was having too much fun embarrassing her friend, so Alice decided to turn the tables.

"So," Alice began. "Rosalie, where did the boys drag you off to so early?" Alice questioned, with more than mild interest.

**Shops and Secrets**

"Well, the boys took me into town. Edward wanted to show me a garage that a friend of his owns... to see if I was interested in opening my own place," Rose explained.

Alice sat there, wide-eyed and excited. It would be the greatest thing to have another female in town to hang out with.

"And?" Bella questioned.

"I'm considering it. With a little work, the garage would be perfect; and the price is right. But... I don't know. Emmett, Edward's friend... didn't seem too happy. Maybe he doesn't like female mechanics." Rose continued.

It only took a few minutes for the women to wrap themselves, making plans. Alice was busy sketching, while Bella helped Rose start a business plan. For the second time in her life, having a degree in business was worth all the boredom she suffered in college.

"So, Rose, what do you think about Emmett?" Alice asked, as she continued to sketch. But the question caused Bella to look at her friend.

"I don't know. He's definitely my type, body wise, but... is he gay or something? Because I get this feeling he's hiding something," Rose asked, flushing red at her query.

"God, no!" Alice blurted.

Once the laughing calmed, Bella answered.

"He's a cop, Rose."

**Epilogue**

The months after the infamous wedding of Edward, Bella, Jasper and Alice, Grandpa Carlisle convinced Ms. Esme Johnson that she deserved a man in her life: him. Three months after that, the newly married couple drove a recently restored 1914 streetcar away from the ranch, and back to Georgetown, strings of cans and old shoes dragging behind.

Once Rose decided that maybe cops were not all bad, the next six months was a smooth transition from city life to country life. With Grandpa Carlisle's help, and Emmett's too, renovations for the garage were quickly finished. On opening day, Emmett made a big deal out of the event by handing Rose a large pair of scissors that she used to cut the red ribbon secured in front of the door away, as many of the town folks watched. Rose's hands shook from nerves as she blinked back tears. Never in her wildest dreams had she believed owning her own business was possible.

Originally, Jasper and Alice had planned on visiting Hawaii for their honeymoon. That was until Alice came back from her yearly physical and handed Jasper a plastic card that simply showed a blue cross. Confused, Jasper looked at his wife who bit her bottom lip and nodded her head.

Days later, when Edward and Bella left for the long overdue honeymoon, they hand delivered brochures and pamphlets to Denver for _Dwyer Lake Ranch_, sending them all across the country. But that wasn't all. She and Edward also handed over just as many brochures for Rose's garage, _A Touch of Wicked_.

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